converting a former saltwater setup to freshwater RES tank

[msumeg27]

I recently acquired an almost new 125g pre-drilled (3 holes at the top left back) saltwater setup with uv sterilizer, 30g sump, pumps, protein skimmer, the works. It'll eventually house my RES turtle. From what I have googles, I won't need the UV sterilizer (correct?) but I can use the protein skimmer to collect solids as they enter the sump. Can anyone help me figure out how to set this up? I really appreciate any help I can get. Up until now I've only used a canister filter on her tank.

Also I hear a lot about filter socks but aren't sure they'll work for the amount of chunky waste she produces. Other people have suggested cheap crabs/ shrimp in the actual tank to break her solids into smaller, manageable bits. I can't have any live plants in the tank as she always clips them off at the roots. She prefers "planted" plastic plants and floating live plants. She's weird.

 

[mr_X]

You can't use the sump setup either, or the skimmer unless you drill more holes lower down. you aren't going to fill the tank all the way to the top with water, are you?

 

[msumeg27]

I plan on keeping her tank nearly full, yes. She likes to swim and has done well with a full 55g tank for a year now. The holes aren't at the very tippy top but are within a foot of the top of the tank.

 

[mr_X]

interesting. I haven't seen a salt water tank with holes a foot down. Can you take a picture of the tank?

 

[msumeg27]

I'll try to get one up this week. I have the whole thing torn apart because I doubled the stand support and restained it to a better color.

BTW, it isn't a standard long 125g. It's a taller than normal one. I just realized you probably think the holes are in the dead center of the back wall, they aren't. They're in the top third but near a corner.