how to fill a new tank

[Kuba83]

I'm about to fill a new tank, (and sump) and am wondering if the "easy way" has any problems?

By "easy way" I mean fill directly from my RO\DI with sand and rocks in place and more importantly add\mix salt after the tanks are full.

If I mix the salt first in 5 gallon jugs that may take forever. 75 gal tank and about 60 gal sump

Anyone see any issues with doing it the "easy way"?

I know it will probably take quite a while to clear from the sand being stirred up, but the flow from the RO\DI is pretty slow.

[an411]

I did water salt sand then rock. I would personally mix water and salt first I didn't and there was salt everywhere sitting for a while. In the sump protein skimmer. People told me to put the rock down then sand but I didnt want to have sand all over my rock and then have to clean all that even though this can be done with a turkey baster. HTH and I dont think there is any wrong way to do it but people are going to tell you different ways

[osprey3883]

Hello,
+1 for salt/water first have just done this recently.

Matt

[rgun2515]

RO/DI water - start powerheads - add salt - start filtration - let filter for a day or so - then add sand and rock providing temp is correct and rock is cured...

[The_Browns]

I ran a RO line into the main tank and let it fill. Right before it started to overflow I added the appropiate amount of salt to the water and turned on the powerheads. The next day I added enough water to get the sump and fuge filled and the whole system working. I then added one cup of salt at a time until my SG was 1.025. Took 3 days total to get SG correct. Then we added the sand, It was cloudy for about 48 hours then cleared right up. After sand was added we added LR.

[Thinslis]

Don't forget to get the water temp right before adding the salt, this will help it mix better.

[mskohl]

if your rock is cured and live, then your process will kill it and you will have a serious ammonia spike. If you are using dry sand and dry rock, then the only trouble you will encounter is salt settling and not disolving. I don't know how much would, I've never done this.

Your best bet would be to go get a 55g barrell and mix in there and add it, and repeat. This barrell will come in useful in the future. You can use it to store RO/DI water, plumb it for auto top-off, or mix saltwater again.

To overcome the sand storm, place a tupperware bowl on the sand. Angle a pvc pipe from the top of the tank into the bowl and run your water through the pipe. It will fill the bowl and gently overflow the bowl and fill the tank. This will not cause the sand to cloud the tank. I did this when I filled my 225g.

[an411]

mskohl I like that idea of the tuppaware I have heard of people also using a pvc pipe to add sand through when there is water in the tank

[Steelslinger75]

I filled my tank in stages over a course of a couple of days. This was a 210 and I had an external container filled with mixed saltwater.
1) Put in about 4" water
2) Put in my sand bed and let it all settle down.
3) added water and rock along the way until it was done
4) tunred on all the pumps and powerheads and waited for everything to become crystal clear.

I wheeled a 55g drum of mixed saltwater and just pumped it into the tank. You can get a brute trashcan with the dolly if you can get it close to your tank.

[bmrescort]

I prefer the common sense route. Fill the tank add the salt let it run for a day or two and warm up,while your filling the sump. Make sure you have powerheads in the tank blowing the salt around and use your hand to stir it up a bit if you have to. Check the salinity and adjust accordingly. By now your sump is full. Add salt to the sump and let the system run as it would wilth rock and fish in it. Remember that the sand and rock will displace water so you may have to run the sump a little on the low side. Let run for a day or two adjusting the salinity as you go. In 4 days you will be ready to add the sand and rock. And yes it will be very cloudy and crazy when you add the sand, don't worry about that it will clear in a few hours.

[ljosh]

The best way I have found is to mix SW seperate. Put sand in cover with garbage bags place some plates on top to hold them down. Add water remove garbage bags. When I did it this way I had 0 cloudiness without rinsing the oolitic argonite sand.

[reefergeorge]

I have just filled all my tanks with tap add salt let dissolve. Then add sand and rock. I use rodi for wcs, and have never had a problem.

[SteveNMegz]

we filled ours with live sand, then dumped the salt we neede on the live sand, covered it with a garbage bag and started filling with water

everything turned out great

[AZDesertRat]

If the sand and rock are live you need to mix the salt and RO/DI water in a seperate container before adding or you just killed your beneficial bacteria. Never use tap water no matter what some may try to tell you. Water is the single largest ingredient in your system and everything depends on it. Don't chance it. Cutting corners will bite you every time.

[Kuba83]

thanks for all the ideas. Its all new dry sand and dry base rock for now. May have to think about a large container to mix water in salt in first.

[Playa-1]

Originally posted by rgun2515
RO/DI water - start powerheads - add salt - start filtration - let filter for a day or so - then add sand and rock providing temp is correct and rock is cured...

[poppin_fresh]

I used DRY sand which was added to the tank first. I then ran the RO/DI directly to the tank. Since it fills so slow, it never disturbed the sand or clouded the tank. Once full, I added circulation and then started adding salt, which was done a few cups at time checking SG in between doses.

Once the SG and temp were correct I added the LR with out having a cloudy tank or a lot of residue every where.

[Sk8r]

lay down a base of lighting grid eggcrate first, then rock, then sand. To fill, lay large garbage back over all, pour water onto that: it will float as water rises, buffering sand from water impact. Use only ro/di, and mix your salt water at least 12 hours prior with a mixing pump, to prevent raw salt killing stuff on your live rock.