Really nervous

[Salty Dog]

Ok Im getting ready to fill my tank this weekend but I have some concerns, All I will have is the sand and rock in the tank for now. The rock and sand came from another members tank,fully cured with nice color. Okso should I place the sand and rock into the tank then fill it ith mixed RO water and turn on the pumps, skimmer,UV, wavy seas ect. What testng kits are important to have at first. Thanks people just want to besure.

Bill

 

[MikeyZO]

You can put the rock and sand in and then fill it, or you can put the sand in and put a plastic bag over the sand so it doesnt turn up as you fill it, then about half way full take the bag out, put the rock in, and fill it the rest of the way... really it doesnt matter too much how you do it. Everyone has their own preference. I filled the tank with water and then mixed it with salt in the tank, then put the sand in and let it settle for a day, then added rock. If you pour the water right on the sand, though, the water will probably be cloudy for a day or two until it all settles. And you dont want to fill it with just RO water, you want salt water.

As far as test kits for right now, PH, nitrite, nitrate, and amonia. Eventually you'll want to get alkalinity, phosphate, magnesium and calcium if you plan on keeping SPS or LPS.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Ok Im getting ready to fill my tank this weekend but I have some concerns, All I will have is the sand and rock in the tank for now. The rock and sand came from another members tank,fully cured with nice color. Okso should I place the sand and rock into the tank then fill it with mixed RO water and turn on the pumps, skimmer,UV, wavy seas ect. What testng kits are important to have at first. Thanks people just want to besure.

Bill

Hi Salty Dog and first of all breathe deeply and then relax ;-)
Now that you are relaxed:

Assuming that you already test for tightness with fresh water during a week, proceed as follows:

1st - prepare the artificial salt mix with RO water, by mixing it gradually and at the same time having the water always in motion and heated to the correct temperature, have a look here
2nd - While the water mix as become crystal clear, which when it is ready to be put into the tank, put the sand.
3rd - As soon as the water gets crystal clear (or very close to that) put the rocks in (remember that you are dealing with live rocks which is the same as with live animals, so never let them out of the water for more than 15 minutes or so) the tank and set the rock work.
4th - Fill the tank with the salt water mix.
5th - Turn on the pumps and heather, and leave it.
6th - Grab a :beer: or:wineglass or a cup of good white tea (Jade arrow) or Blue Mountain coffee, or Kona Fancy coffee or what ever beverage strikes your fancy, and sit down sipping it and relaxing watching your marine art work. (don't forget to clear up the mess before or you could get grounded by the house authority:irked: if there is one and if there isn't... just clear up the mess...OK....looks better like that)

Now you have just started the magnificent home coral reef adventure, so be patient and within 4 weeks if the waters parameters allow it, you will start to put the first corals and one or two small peaceful fish and will start the lighting which has to have a period of 6 or 7 hours if it is MH, 10 or 12 hours if it is fluorescent, but when it come for lights, come back and we will discuss that for your case if you need some help in that field.

Well as you might have guessed, there are many ways to do this, I just tried to give you a rather simple one.
Please keep us informed of the developments so that we may better help you the best way possible within our reach

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

 

[tosiek]

If the rock and sand is cured, letting it sit in the tank dry will kill off anything. Thus turning it from live cured rock to dead rock and setting you back a little.

Im guessing your going to cycle the tank, and having live cured rock helps alot with speeding up the cycle correctly.

You are pretty much going to need a PH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite test kit for now, then once everythings running a calcium and alk test kit once your ready for coral.

 

[Salty Dog]

Thanks everyone I certinly do apprecate the imput

Bill

 

[Awibrandy]

You are pretty much going to need a PH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite test kit for now, then once everythings running a calcium and alk test kit once your ready for coral.

Either a refractometer or hydrometer plus All of the above test kit.

 

[MikeyZO]

spend the extra money and get the refractometer. Much better results. This is the one I have.
http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9

 

[Salty Dog]

spend the extra money and get the refractometer. Much better results. This is the one I have.
http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9

Thanks I have a refractometer, TDS meter and hydrometer. The hydrometer does not seem to be accurate so I whet for the $90 refractometer.

Bill

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Thanks again,
I got another question after I put the water rock and sand in and turn on the pumps, do I have to have all the equipment running? Like the Phosphate reactor and UV light? Or do I turn these on later?
Next my light will not arrive till Wed so right now I have no lighting, isthis ok or should I put a temporary lighton for now? How offten shoold I check the water, Im sure I will be consentily checking. Ok so here is one more, after I put ets say a few fish in :bablefish, like a clown and damsel how will I know when the tank cycles and what is the procedure :duh:.

Thanks for your help I will pos picts soon once I figure out how to do it.

Bill

Hi "Salty Dog" Bill (I don't know why but Salty Dog Bill reminds me of a Pirate...and its not Bootstrap bill...yo ho ho and a bottle of Rum

:tongue1::Blurp:..what say you... ;-)
Now these questions you put here are very important and one of the best threads I recommend you to consult is this one among several others that exist here at the forum Tank Girl (

1 2 3 ... Last Page). This is a kind of work that I usually recommend as an example for beginners to learn when received them at the presentation thread in reefforum.net

Well let's now go to some answers

do I have to have all the equipment running...like the phosphate reactor and UV light?

Not really because you do not have a mature system so these two equipments could interfere or simply do nothing while you are cycling your tank, which is a procedure that should not be disturbed. So turn on these later, and the UV or ozone, I usually recommend not to be used unless there is a real good need for additional help. To run a UV all the time or ozone for that matter, is to render sterile what should not be, as nature does establish and thrives in a environment that combines all sorts of organisms, and problems occur only when imbalance takes place, a bit like you catch a cold or worse if you expose your self to adverse conditions, otherwise you will be ok if there's is a balance between your natural and artificial protections like a pullover, an umbrella, etc.. and the elements like wind, cold, rain...So UV light you can use it for instance when you introduce new live stock, and only for a while. This said based on experience, you have the last word as it is your tank. As far as we are concerned, we have to outline the cons. if any, be they because of UV light, or ozone, etc...and this because each a tank is a tank and sometimes what works in one tank and is needed, may not work in another or should be used with contention.
I use NSW mostly and I also collect live plankton every now and then, so I know that the risk of bringing home godzilla is considerable:Yikes::Blurp:, still I consider it a calculated risk such as it is buying a new coral not quarantined and even if it is but somehow the bugs survived...still I have an ozone equipment and only used it once in the last two years.

Next my light will not arrive till Wed so right now I have no lighting, is this ok or should I put a temporary light on for now?

Now please ask your self what are you going to lit with your lights...rocks? Sand? what is there that needs light...algae...meaning are you planing to put some macro algae during the cycle period?
Well probably not and for the best, because during this cycle stage you don't need to lit your tank. This will only be needed when you start to put in photosynthetic corals, algae. So spare some dollars and do not turn on the lights so far, and also this will contribute for non wanted algae to develop more slowly if ever.

How often should I check the water

Please save some dollars out of test reagent, because what you want here is to know when the nitrogen cycle is complete and the system ready to start receiving slowly the live stock of corals and fish, therefore you should measure the water parameters for ammonia one week after starting the system or so and also measure salinity, then two weeks after measure nitrites, then some two weeks latter, measure again ammonia, nitrites, pH and if the values of these are within the correct range for reef organisms, then measure calcium, KH and Mg and salinity. Do remember to top up evaporated water with reverse osmosis water.

These answers are indicative guide lines, which means that they are general approach guide lines, so please do keep us informed week by week or more frequently if you feel necessary, so that we may better help you.

Ok so here is one more, after I put lets say a few fish in :bablefish, like a clown and damsel how will I know when the tank cycles and what is the procedure :duh:.

Basically the cycle is finished some four to eight weeks later, depending on speed of the cycle, the readings taken according to the indicative periodicity mentioned above, then you can select the first fish, so do not introduce more than two or three at first, and do remember that damsels are fierce protectors of their domains, so you have other choices far better. Once the fish are introduced you start measure values some two days after and keep measuring during the first two weeks do that you can evaluate the impact of the new biological load as well as the impact of your "generous" feeding hands:tongue1:, just to see if everything is ok.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Pedro Nuno;-)

 

[LeslieS]

How did the tank fill up go?

Many thanks to Pedro for referencing my tank thread, but there are many more complete examples on the site. The best tank threads will have pictures of all the equipment, the tank set up, and step by step pictures of tanking proceedures like fragging. Definitely check out as many tank threads as you have time for!

The one thing my thread does show very well is "slow reefing". If you check the dates on most of the posts you will see that it took at least two years to get my tank to a point where it looks decently filled. Even my clean up crew was added little by little rather than buying a "clean up package". Mostly, this just gave me the chance to buy something everytime I went to the LFS. Buying a snail or crab each time I went, kept me from buying corals and fish that I wasn't ready for! After I started adding corals, I did so very slowly and bought specimens that were not all the same size. Giving each item time to grow before adding another keeps your tank from looking like a frag tank.

As far as fish go, I am a fan of less is more. My original plan was to have just a few smaller fish. Unfortunately, my convict blennies grew much larger than the five inches the fish guide stated. Also, my chromis seem to be mutants and have almost all reached the maximum length of four and a half inches stated by that deceitful fish guide ;-) I guess the moral is to go slow and let each one grow before adding more fish - just like the coral.

Another slow reefer is Masterswimmer. You should definitely as him how long it took to get his tank up and running and how often he adds things

 

[Salty Dog]

How did the tank fill up go?

Many thanks to Pedro for referencing my tank thread, but there are many more complete examples on the site. The best tank threads will have pictures of all the equipment, the tank set up, and step by step pictures of tanking proceedures like fragging. Definitely check out as many tank threads as you have time for!

The one thing my thread does show very well is "slow reefing". If you check the dates on most of the posts you will see that it took at least two years to get my tank to a point where it looks decently filled. Even my clean up crew was added little by little rather than buying a "clean up package". Mostly, this just gave me the chance to buy something everytime I went to the LFS. Buying a snail or crab each time I went, kept me from buying corals and fish that I wasn't ready for! After I started adding corals, I did so very slowly and bought specimens that were not all the same size. Giving each item time to grow before adding another keeps your tank from looking like a frag tank.

As far as fish go, I am a fan of less is more. My original plan was to have just a few smaller fish. Unfortunately, my convict blennies grew much larger than the five inches the fish guide stated. Also, my chromis seem to be mutants and have almost all reached the maximum length of four and a half inches stated by that deceitful fish guide ;-) I guess the moral is to go slow and let each one grow before adding more fish - just like the coral.

Another slow reefer is Masterswimmer. You should definitely as him how long it took to get his tank up and running and how often he adds things

Hello Tank Girl,

WELL its still filling slowly, I have a 90 gph RO and its just slow, so Im mixing as the sump fills and then its pumped into the tank, The problem is I just filled my tak with Live rock and sand I bought from a reefer yesterday. Im dumping water over the rocks to keep it wet but Im freaking out

Bill

 

[LeslieS]

don't freak out. I took all my rock out of the tank and spent 4 hours gluing it together for the aquascaping. It was dead rock by the time I was done It just took longer to cycle my tank.

 

[Salty Dog]

Leslie , will the coloring then change thats on the rock? Also I have more questions but im so tried because I was up all night with the tank, This is a 210g Tank, with a Life Reef sump, 36" Life Reef Protein skimmer, Next Reef Phosphate reactor, 57W UV light, No media in anything as of now. I just bought a Reef Keeper 2 from a board vendor, just got home need some rest.

thank you sincerly, BTW Im very patient I started picking up pieces from last March and just began to fill the tank last night at 10pm

Bill

 

[LeslieS]

Bill, the coraline will probably turn white, but it grows back very quickly. Can't wait to see your pictures!

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

How did the tank fill up go?

Many thanks to Pedro for referencing my tank thread, but there are many more complete examples on the site. The best tank threads will have pictures of all the equipment, the tank set up, and step by step pictures of tanking proceedures like fragging. Definitely check out as many tank threads as you have time for!

Hi LeslieS, "Salt Dog" Bill, Everyone ;-)
Salt Dog, any news about the tank fill up?

LeslieS I know that there are other complete examples here but I'm new here in Manhattan Reefs, so I'm still browsing, never the less your system is my choice of a reference to present to beginners and if possible I would like to have a bilingual version of it, to present as a reference for reef keepers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean as well as all other Portuguese speaking reef keepers...in due time a shall come back to that issue and ask for that. The main reason of may choice is exactly because of what you wrote below, "Slow Reefing"!!!:approve::approve::approve::approve::approve::flower:which together with planing a reef to be a diorama of the real thing, is so far the most important approach I consider to be the best. As far as equipment is concerned, it is also important but I prefer less equipment at least for the beginning as less in this case means less variables to control, so less chances to make mistakes and some times it confuses people beginning so I try to keep it simple.

The one thing my thread does show very well is "slow reefing". If you check the dates on most of the posts you will see that it took at least two years to get my tank to a point where it looks decently filled. Even my clean up crew was added little by little rather than buying a "clean up package". Mostly, this just gave me the chance to buy something everytime I went to the LFS. Buying a snail or crab each time I went, kept me from buying corals and fish that I wasn't ready for! After I started adding corals, I did so very slowly and bought specimens that were not all the same size. Giving each item time to grow before adding another keeps your tank from looking like a frag tank.

Indeed this is the approach :approve::approve::approve:which if possible to combine with a reef diorama planing and implementation, it is the best, the real good thing. As stated above, this is the reason, "Slow Reefing" why I selected and will select your system as reference. "Slow Reefing allows one to think, plan, and build up bit by bit a reef that really works and is a pleasure to see, and that we enjoy every bit of time spent with it. Most times people don't purchase a coral or a fish, they simple have to get it to put together with heap of reef critters they have at home, as if there was no tomorrow...Reef Keepers must enjoy what they have and go as they know, which means, learn and learn and enjoy every bit of it, such as you did and do. This is a good example for beginners and also for more experienced reef keepers with multi decade experience...always learning I am.

As far as fish go, I am a fan of less is more. My original plan was to have just a few smaller fish. Unfortunately, my convict blennies grew much larger than the five inches the fish guide stated. Also, my chromis seem to be mutants and have almost all reached the maximum length of four and a half inches stated by that deceitful fish guide ;-) I guess the moral is to go slow and let each one grow before adding more fish - just like the coral.

Absolutely:approve::approve::approve: LeslieS and you're not the only one to whom the fish grew to much. In my case I knew it but was planning a 1000g tank which so far didn't see the light of day mostly because I want to buy a new house and don't want to have on hands such a large system to move..still I found room for a 120g U shape room divider Ocean View Series tank from aquavim, which if I'm not mistaken, is the model of your tank that I did like very much:Hydrogen: as I fancy uncommon geometry shaped tanks, even if they some time put problems for water motion. I have two triangular tanks, one of them bow front and as I said have now several large fish that I will have to house in a larger tank some day. So now I only buy if I have what it takes for it when it grows, not just a plan....always learning.

Another slow reefer is Masterswimmer. You should definitely as him how long it took to get his tank up and running and how often he adds things

Another reference to consider indeed.

Cheers
Pedro Nuno;-)

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Hello Tank Girl,

WELL its still filling slowly, I have a 90 gph RO and its just slow, so Im mixing as the sump fills and then its pumped into the tank, The problem is I just filled my tak with Live rock and sand I bought from a reefer yesterday. Im dumping water over the rocks to keep it wet but Im freaking out

Bill

Leslie , will the coloring then change thats on the rock? Also I have more questions but im so tried because I was up all night with the tank, This is a 210g Tank, with a Life Reef sump, 36" Life Reef Protein skimmer, Next Reef Phosphate reactor, 57W UV light, No media in anything as of now. I just bought a Reef Keeper 2 from a board vendor, just got home need some rest.

thank you sincerly, BTW Im very patient I started picking up pieces from last March and just began to fill the tank last night at 10pm

Bill

Hi Salt Dog
So the adventure as started and your going well, take the rest now, you deserved it.

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

 

[Salty Dog]

Goodmorning reefers,

Hey all, gotta say I love this site, awesume people ready to help a guy that doesnt kow crap about salt water but Im learning. When I started shopping for equipment I took mytime and really did the research but Idont feel like my RO unit is pulling its weight, Its a triple cartridge with two cylindrs horizontally mounted on top, totalling 5, its a90 gph but the supply water just trinkles out like a broken fauset, is this right? :irked:

Thank you Bill

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Goodmorning reefers,

Hey all, gotta say I love this site, awesume people ready to help a guy that doesnt kow crap about salt water but Im learning. When I started shopping for equipment I took mytime and really did the research but Idont feel like my RO unit is pulling its weight, Its a triple cartridge with two cylindrs horizontally mounted on top, totalling 5, its a90 gph but the supply water just trinkles out like a broken fauset, is this right? :irked:

Thank you Bill

Hi Salt Dog, looks like you recovered and are now ready for some more reef rock n' roll...cool
Yes it is, thats how RO works, water drips slowly from the blue (RO water) tube. Now form your description you have a five stage RO unit and the two horizontally mounted cylinders are probably one for nitrate removal and the other for silica, so it is quite complete. Also another info, I use the rejected water (red tube) to fill up some om my KOI carp pond, and like that I do not waste water...well you could do the same if you have a KOI carp pond...just a hint...and another thing, the waste watter tube (usaly a red tube) drips four time more water than the RO water tube.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

 

[JRWOHLER]

I water my lillies with it. You don't have to treat it like hazardous waste.

 

[Salty Dog]

Hi Salt Dog, looks like you recovered and are now ready for some more reef rock n' roll...cool
Yes it is, thats how RO works, water drips slowly from the blue (RO water) tube. Now form your description you have a five stage RO unit and the two horizontally mounted cylinders are probably one for nitrate removal and the other for silica, so it is quite complete. Also another info, I use the rejected water (red tube) to fill up some om my KOI carp pond, and like that I do not waste water...well you could do the same if you have a KOI carp pond...just a hint...and another thing, the waste watter tube (usaly a red tube) drips four time more water than the RO water tube.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Pedro Nuno ;-)

Hey Pedro,

Im excited as is the family to get the show started over here, Right now I have the waste draining into the drain but great idea, we have a pond outside filled with fish.

Thanks again buddy