Setup Schedule Pt II

[tech27]

Thanks for all the great info on my previous post. My last question (ha!) is
how to install the live sand/live rock.
Should the tank be filled with water before to get it up to temperature and
then put in the LS and LR? Or should I put in the sand and rock first then
fill with room temp water (in which I suppose I could but the heater). In
any case, I wouldn't have 100 gallons of proper temp (which should be what
temp?) water to add all at once. Could I just put in 10-20 gallons to start
and then add 5 gallons at a time? How critical is the temp of the water
being added?
I just can't see having all my RO water at the proper temp sitting around to
put in all at once. It would be easier if I could fill the tank most of the
way, then add the sand and rock. Is this okay?

Thanks again.


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[Marc Levenson]

Actually, what I do is pretty much the opposite.

I fill a dry clean tank with the sand I'm going to use, leveling it out. Then I
put a large serving platter on the DSB, and pour my premixed sal****er onto the
platter. The salinity and temperature is already reef-ready. Once my tank is
about 2/3 full, I remove the platter and put my LR in place because it will
displace the water.

Finally I top off the rest of the tank with sal****er, and turn on all the
equipment.

Marc


tech27 wrote:

> Thanks for all the great info on my previous post. My last question (ha!) is
> how to install the live sand/live rock.
> Should the tank be filled with water before to get it up to temperature and
> then put in the LS and LR? Or should I put in the sand and rock first then
> fill with room temp water (in which I suppose I could but the heater). In
> any case, I wouldn't have 100 gallons of proper temp (which should be what
> temp?) water to add all at once. Could I just put in 10-20 gallons to start
> and then add 5 gallons at a time? How critical is the temp of the water
> being added?
> I just can't see having all my RO water at the proper temp sitting around to
> put in all at once. It would be easier if I could fill the tank most of the
> way, then add the sand and rock. Is this okay?
>
> Thanks again.
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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[Rod]

I usually do what Mark posted, but lately ( I set up a lot of new accounts) I
have found it work well to put the sand in dry, then dry stack the rock. Then
add the water. This way you can get a good feel of how sturdy the rock work
is, and still see what you're doing while stacking.
Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

[tech27]

Thanks for the tip Mark. But I can't let you off THAT easy! (-;

1-I'll be using live sand mixed with playsand (ok?) What should the ratio of
LS to sand be?
2-What should the temperature of the water being added be-same as the target
temp of the tank?
3-Since the sand and LR are going in together, without anything else, can I
just cure it in the tank?
4-Since I doubt I will be able to make up 70-100 gallons of RO sal****er and
keep at temperature,, what is the minimum amount of sal****er I should have
ready at the beginning, (then of course top up as I make more RO water)?
5-Is it possible that the big batch of LS and LR could cause a huge ammonia
spike that will harm the lifeforms?


Thanks as always.



"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Actually, what I do is pretty much the opposite.
>
> I fill a dry clean tank with the sand I'm going to use, leveling it out.
Then I
> put a large serving platter on the DSB, and pour my premixed sal****er
onto the
> platter. The salinity and temperature is already reef-ready. Once my
tank is
> about 2/3 full, I remove the platter and put my LR in place because it
will
> displace the water.
>
> Finally I top off the rest of the tank with sal****er, and turn on all the
> equipment.
>
> Marc



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[Marc Levenson]

Tech,

Your answers are below....

tech27 wrote:

> Thanks for the tip Mark. But I can't let you off THAT easy! (-;
>
> 1-I'll be using live sand mixed with playsand (ok?) What should the ratio of
> LS to sand be?

Depending on the tank size, you only need a few (literal measuring) cups worth.
For a 55g, two or three cups would suffice. After putting your sand in the
tank, and adding your water and rock, lower each cup of sand into the tank and
gently pour it onto the substrate in a mound. I don't recommend leveling it out
because I don't want the micro fauna to blow around and into the water column.
The bugs will migrate on their own.

Plus, you'll have critters coming off the LR as well. In six months, your DSB
should be fully established. But within a month it will be teaming with life so
don't worry that you have to wait a full six months!

> 2-What should the temperature of the water being added be-same as the target
> temp of the tank?

The ranges vary from those in the hobby. I keep my tanks between 78F and 82F.
So you might aim for 79F.
What I suggest you do is buy 3 large trashcans brand new. $7 each, they can
hold 30g per container. Mix up all your sal****er. To get the temperature
right, you can put heaters in each one, or just heat up a pot of the premixed
sal****er on the stove to near boiling and pour it in and mix. I've done that
for years, and it gets the temperature where I need it within 30 minutes or so.
Since this is a new tank, your temperature isn't that critical, so if one can is
76 and another is 79 and another is 80, it'll all level out around 77-78.

Salinity should be 1.026 sg.

> 3-Since the sand and LR are going in together, without anything else, can I
> just cure it in the tank?

Yes, the LR can cure in your tank. If it is very smelly, your tank will be
smelly through the process. Be sure you have a good quality skimmer rated for
your tank size running 24/7 to put out the nasties.

> 4-Since I doubt I will be able to make up 70-100 gallons of RO sal****er and
> keep at temperature,, what is the minimum amount of sal****er I should have
> ready at the beginning, (then of course top up as I make more RO water)?

I think the trashcan method will work well. LS and LR will display a large
amount of water. Maybe as much as 20%.

> 5-Is it possible that the big batch of LS and LR could cause a huge ammonia
> spike that will harm the lifeforms?

Yes, but is possible, but it depends on how the LR arrived. If you bought it
locally and got it back into the water within an hour, it won't cycle much at
all. And the few pounds of LS you'll seed your tank with should not create any
type of ammonia spike whatsoever.

The bacteria may die back some during an A-N-N cycle, but a lot of it (new
bacteria) results from that very cycle. You'll get a diatom bloom after a few
weeks, and while you might not like the look of that 'brown dusting' in your
tank, it is the food source for the bacteria you want thriving in your system.

Your best bet is to do a physical water test of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate
each day, and chart those numbers on graph paper. You'll see the cycle
progress, and know for a fact when your tank is ready for the clean up crew ---
and later the new livestock.

Marc



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[tech27]

Brilliant.
Thank you!

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Tech,
>


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