Ready to start making water for a new tank - question

[jarhead]

I am ready to start mixing salt water for my 135g with a 75g sump in the basement. I am going to use Southdown for my DSB. I already have LR and sand in a rubbermaid stock tank ready to go. What is the correct way to transfer the rock and the sand into the tank? Here's what I was thinking:

1. Dump the Southdown into the tank, then the live sand on top of it
2. Put a trash bag over the sand and pump up about 50g of mixed water from the sump. Remove the trash bag
3. Aquascape the LR
4. Mix more water in the sump and pump it up

Please let me know if something is incorrect. TIA

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

hi.
There is nothing wrong with the procedures outlined that I can see. But do expect cloudiness even with the trashbag and all.

If you are paranoid about plastics, make sure the bag is suitable for food (some trash bag has bactericide and fugalicide as well as VOC and other stuffs).

 

[danmhippo]

I would only do one thing differently. I would leave the aquascaping till the last (when you have done at least 3/4 of filling). If you fill the tank after aquascaping, you will find many bubbles trapped under the rocks and you will either have to jet blast them out or redo the aquascape.

Also, make sure the LS gets even coverage on the new southdown. The idea is to make sure the southdown don't float up to the surface.