Live rock no heater

[Swallowbird]

Just got my 55 gallon display tank with 30 gallon sump started I got salt levels right and was gonna take a few pounds of live rock from a buddy to start cycle slowly until I can afford it I get paid in 6 days and am gonna buy a heater then but will the live rock be okay for 6 days with no heat I got plenty of water flow?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

U should have that water no less the 75 degrees with live rock. U want to keep those organism and life alive in those rocks. Also feed the tank so the bacteria in the rocks have something to :eat:. Even if u can buy a cheap heater jus for the time being or wait till u get paid and then buy heater warm up water and add rock

 

[Tonyscoots84]

How did u get salt levels right without a heater? Water had to be around 70's to fully dissolve? Did u use rodi orntap water?

 

[edd]

welcome to mr. you better wait until you get heater like tony said, I'm sure it gets pretty cold in illinois. don't rush it gotta have patience.

 

[Swallowbird]

Tap with dechloronator, and used hydrometer to test so is my salt not what it says then since I don't have a heater?

 

[Swallowbird]

I got power heads blowin it all around also premixed in tub, and I've been stirring sand for now daily until I get fish

 

[fireshark02]

Is this a fowlr or a reef tank? If it is a reef tank, you should really only be using water from an ro/di unit. You will be battling high phosphates and wasting money trying to bring it down. Goodluck with the new tank

 

[Swallowbird]

Fowlr first salt tank ever after I get this down I'm gonna try a reef tank, I have about 1 inch of non live sand in there now, do you think that may be a problem since there's no heater to dissolve salt, if so what's best way to fix it? Appreciate the help guys thank you

 

[masterswimmer]

First, welcome to MR.

Second, a refractometer (the highly desirable way to measure salinity) normally comes equipped with ATC (Automatic Temperature Compensation). Swing arm hydrometers do not come with ATC and therefore if you aren't doing the calculations to convert the visual reading of your salinity by taking the temperature into consideration then your salinity readings are definitely out of whack, if you aren't running a heater.

If you start this tank as a fowlr with the intention of converting it to a reef, you really should use RO/DI water right from the beginning.

IMO the #1 and #2 reef related items you should purchase before anything else is an inexpensive $35 Refractometer and a bit more expensive, a $160 RO/DI Filter. These two tools of the trade will get you started on the right foot and negate the need for you to have to backpeddle to correct a bad start.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your new system,
Russ

 

[Swallowbird]

So say I just throw a heater in my tank now, let the aquarium get to the right temp stir the sand let it sit a day then take another reading with a hydrometer for now? Would that be more accurate?

 

[masterswimmer]

So say I just throw a heater in my tank now, let the aquarium get to the right temp stir the sand let it sit a day then take another reading with a hydrometer for now? Would that be more accurate?

Certainly more accurate, but definitely not precisely accurate. A $35 Refractometer can put all your concerns to rest.

Russ

 

[Swallowbird]

Okay thank you how can I tell if there is any salt build up in my tank?