Filling tank for 1st time?

[DownwardDawg]

I will be filling my 125 soon when the rest of my plumbing arrives. This is my first tank with sump. How do I fill it? I'll be using dry sand. Do I put sand in then fill the tank with fresh water (ro /di ) and check for leaks? Then mix salt in tank? Do I just add water first with no salt? How do you fill tank and sump? Do you just keep adding water to display until it drains to proper level in sump? I have a lot of questions? Thank goodness for reef central! !!

[Ron Reefman]

If you haven't checked for leaks, I'd fill the tank with freshwater rather than saltwater. If you have a leak you can just dump the freshwater. You don't want to try and store 125g of saltwater, or dump it! Also, when you get the system full (DT & sump) run it for awhile and then turn off the pump in the sump. This is a test to see that you have big enough anti-siphon holes in your lines bringing water back to the DT AND that you have enough room in the sump for the amount of water you are going to siphon out of the DT. If your anti-siphon holes are close enough to the water surface in the DT, you should only siphon down an inch or two at the most. If you are running pvc pipe over the back of your DT, I'd recommend adding John Guest 90 degree elbows at the anti-siphon holes. They can then be adjusted to aim the water that flows out of them to create some water movement at the surface (helps with getting oxygen into the tank) and reduces the water drop when the pump is turned off.

If you don't have any leaks (I'd run the system for at least a day with freshwater), dump the freshwater and add your sand. Have your saltwater mixed before you add it to the tank. You can add LR and aged saltwater (it should be mixed for at least an hour before you add it) at the same time. Build your LR structure and just keep adding enough saltwater to keep it covered. When you add the saltwater, put a dinner plate on the sand and pump the saltwater onto the plate slowly. This will really help to minumize the sand dust that gets stirred up.

I hope that helps?

[thegrun]

Although it involves a second move, I like to first set up the tank outside and perform the water leak test there as opposed to inside the house (you'll thank yourself if there is a leak or the system needs plumbing modifications). Just use straight tap water for your leak test. Test the entire system, tank, plumbing, sump...run all the pumps, ATO, the whole 9 yards. One of the advantages of testing the tank outside is that it will give you a good idea as to how much water your sump will need to operate properly. Then disassemble the system and move it to its final resting place. For a first time fill you can mix the saltwater inside the bare tank (no rocks or sand), but I still prefer to mix it outside, circulate the water overnight and then pump/carry the water inside to the tank. Be sure to not fully fill the tank with water, your sand and rock will displace approximately 20% of the tanks total volume (if you initially fill the tank to about 70% of its running water height, you should be safe). Next add the rock. I like to place egg crate on the bottom of the tank before adding rock, it helps prevent the rock from shifting around and eventually falling. The pressure of the rock stacked up and the sand shifting will move unsecured rock over time. After the rock is arranged to your liking, then add the sand. I use a long neck oil change funnel to place the sand (be sure to wash the sand well before adding it to the DT). Keep all pumps off during this process. After the rock and sand are in place, bring the water level up to the "all pumps off" waterline, then turn on your sump pump. Be ready to quickly add or drain off extra salt water. Be sure to have a good amount of extra pre-mixed salt water on hand. Best of luck!

[DownwardDawg]

Thanks so much. That helps a bunch.

[DownwardDawg]

Thanks for both opinions. It'll be a couple weeks but I'll post progress pics.