How to convert to FW (African Cichlids)

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Hi.
I recently purchased a marine tank and equipment, and now want to change to freshwater (African cichlids)
I have just began to fill the tank with RO water
How do I go about changing over?

I currently have a corner overflow tank with sump (4 chambers). (will attach pic)
What needs to be changed in the sump?
As you can see I have bio-balls and ceramic rings in the sump. And also some in the overflow box.

What ways are there to remove nitrate effectively?

Also, what equipment will need to be changed?
I have the following:

-return pump (+- 2000lph)
-300w jager heater
-auto top up unit
-DSB (Aragamax)
-caribsea aragonite seafloor special as substrate
-odyssea quad 54w lights

I also have dead (live) rock which I have scaped in the tank. Can this be used in the AC setup?
I hope some more experienced aquarists can help.
Thanx
 
Sump pic

20130813_170725.jpg
 
You can pretty much run the tank as is, just no need for the skimmer. I dont know if you can use the liverock and aragonite though. It might push up the salt content of the water. And why RO water? Chicklids like harder water so normal treated tap water will be fine. You will still have evaporation so the ATU can also be used. If it was me I would change the aragonite for playsand both for the DSB and in tank substrate and use normal rocks for scaping. You can run ORCA bio cubes for filtration in the recommended bomb method. Easy to do and effective in FW as well.
 
@mariusmeyer I was going to set up for marine, but decided against it.

I know aragonite can be used for cichlids, but as for the rock I'm not quite sure.

Also, if in SW the DSB is inhabited by critters etc. What happens in the case of FW?
 
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Theres no critters but the DSB still functions the same by creating an anearobic area at the bottom which does the nitrate conversion.
 
@mariusmeyer..I don't think the dsb is necessary and have not seen any1 run it successfully in FW..you can use the live rock in the Malawi set up..ro unit not necessary as African cichlids like high ph hard water.

Please read up on what you purchase..there are a lot of crossbred fish being sold..if you can get pure bred Malawi cichlids, they are stunning
 
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You can leav the araganite in the the tank... araginite is calciym based so it will buffer your ph... cichlids like a very high ph... also the skimmer wont be necessary...otherwise everything is perfect...
 
Thanx guys. Great to hear the dead LR can be used. I have kept African cichlids before, just not using a sump setup. Any other suggestions welcome though.
 
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