I'm pumped, almost ready to start...help me out real quick

[latazyo]

alright, I'm a few weeks away from starting, I have all of my equipment ordered and/or received, my only question is...how shoudl I put this all together?

 

here is what I think I know

 

1. clean tank

2. add "dead" sand

3. mix saltwater to 1.025 in separate container, mix with a powerhead and heat for about 24 hrs

4. add saltwater to tank and turn on powerheads/heaters, etc

5 add LR

6. pour LS around LR

7. allow to cycle, then add my clownfish

 

 

is this right?

 

please make suggestions if that doesn't sound good to you

 

one more thing...does the water need to cycle before adding corals or trying to add corals?

 

what should come first, coral or fish?

[tinyreef]

make sure the tank is level and not on a slope. Morton's Salt is not recommended. and for Pete's sake, DO NOT RIP OFF THAT TANK TAG!

 

 

seriously tho, i would put the LR directly into the tank versus onto the 1st layer of 'dry' sand to lower the chance of shifting from excavating critters.

 

if you intend on keeping fish then i would add them first. their greater waste output would then be adjusted for by the tank's bio-filter without stressing more delicate livestock. after that adjustment for handling more pee & crappie :x you can then add those 'delicates'. jmo

[latazyo]

"i would put the LR directly into the tank versus onto the 1st layer of 'dry' sand to lower the chance of shifting from excavating critters"

 

I don 'really understand this part, are you saying to set it directly on the glass bottom, as opposed to on the sand?

 

if so, yes that makes sense

 

I have a crapload of eggcrate here from making my indoor pond...would that work alos, to avoid scratching the glass bottom?

[tinyreef]

yes, that's exactly what i meant. sorry for the wordy reply. X) laying it on eggcrate is even better imo ('spreading out the weight' as you note).

[CRG]

Just curious...

 

Why mix the SW in a separate container? I will be setting up an 18Tall within the next week, but do not have a container that is large enough to pre-mix 16 or so gallons of SW. What should I do in this situation?

 

Thanks

[Salim]

Fill your tank about 3/4 with good water, then drop in your heater and put a powerhead on each side of the tank, dump in the salt and turn on the powerheads to mix. Add your rocks and sand, and finish filling with premixed salt water.

 

Good luck

 

Salim

[CRG]

Thanks for the tip...I'll try it!

[spoondigity]

Just a thought since you mentioned cleaning your tank. Make sure that if the sand you're adding is going to be used for the first time, really, REALLY clean the sand well before you add it in with the water. Otherwise you are going to have a seriously cloudy tank and a lot of debris probably floating on top of your water. It just helps to limit this. I put my sand in a bucket and kept running water through it and then draining it out slowly, repeat ad nausium.

[latazyo]

excellent advice, I have four other sanded tanks and I usually rinse mine through a pillow case, works great....I've made the mistake of not rinsing before!

[CRG]

I'm assuming the rinsing procedure applies to aragonites as well as sands? I'm planning on using Carib Sea's Fiji Pink aragonite, but want to avoid the long cloudy period caused by dust, etc.

[tinyreef]

you could rinse aragonite or silicon (altho i've never used silicon). i never rinse sand either tho. i figure it's (aragonite) just readily soluable aragamilk or aragamite (however they market it). rinsing does lower the cleanup work later but you'll be doing rinsing work instead. jmo

 

btw don't rinse oolithic, they'll be nothing left! X)

 

the pink fiji is gorgeous imo. my pers fav. good luck!

[CRG]

Since you're familiar with Fiji Pink, is it your opinion that it should be mixed with some finer grade (oolitic) sand? Right now I'm just planning on adding about 1.5" of the fiji pink, but would like to know whether or not I would receive any benefit by adding sand. BTW, what method do you use?

 

Thanks

[FAHZ]

Here's a little trick I just learned with fiji pink. First of all it's quite clean don't rinse it and don't stir. If your using some dry sand with it use it as a base. rinse the dry sand in a 5 gal bucket filled with water just pour the sand in slowly and let the crap float off do not stir. You can run water over the top to clear then drain it and add salt water to cover let it sit for 2 day at least it conditions the dry sand.

 

Drain the dry sand and place it in a dry tank and level put your unrinsed fiji pink on top don't mix it you want the live sand on top. Next cover sand with a layer of handi wrap or other plastic wrap place a large cup or medium bowl on top and pour your salt water slowly into the bowl. Use RO water if at all possible I get it at the grocery store for 35 cents a gallon. The plastic wrap will start to float but by then you should be half full. Remove bowl and plastic place your live rock replace the bowl no wrap and gently add you salt water to full. Your water should not be all cloudy and if you have a skimmer any cloudyness should clear right up.

 

Just used this method yesterday and my tank is crystal clear today.

 

 

good luck

Fahz

[Korbin]

Originally posted by tinyreef

if you intend on keeping fish then i would add them first.  their greater waste output would then be adjusted for by the tank's bio-filter without stressing more delicate livestock.  after that adjustment for handling more pee & crappie :x you can then add those 'delicates'. jmo

 

Do fish pee?

[tinyreef]

korbin,

they sure crap a lot! :x they have kidneys, i dunno. ??? (yellowing of the water :x )

 

crg,

you could mix it with oolithic. that should make a good mixture imo. when my bed dissolves too low on my display tank i just add the new sand directly on top of the old. i fill a 8 oz. cup w/the sand and then tank water. i turkey baster it portion at a time to limit the clouding. it will still cloud quite a bit (because i don't rinse) but it clears by the next day. i wouldn't add a thick and complete layer tho. i usually do it in sections over a week of so (obviously not a nano).

 

my new 15H (semi-nano) i'm using 1" (if that actually) of oolithic. i didn't want to add much more at this time because of the LR formation and hideaways i wanted to leave for possible fish (still undecided). : many benefits to having sand but it's not an absolute necessity imo.

[CRG]

Thanks for the responsesB)