Initial tank Setup and cycling it.

[1AaronTravels]

Building a Reef with a 120 Gallon tank. So far, my empty tank looks like this: 29 Gallon sump/fuge, a rio 3100 return via a diy Weir/overflow with 1 inch drain. The return runs to a SCWD. I have 2 Rio 1700 PH's in the tank and a AquaC Remora Pro PS in the sump. I bought 75 lbs of marco rock ( due on wednesday) and have 110lbs of argonite shells (boiled, and rinsed and dried in the NM Air from a past life of a Cichlid tank base medium.)

A couple of questions,
1. Should I add a bag of regular argonite sand ( 30 lbs and remove like quantity from what I have??)
2. I've read a lot about cycling a tank, am believing that the best way for me to proceed is to:
a. add my sand and argonite to the tank.
b. build my Marco reef rock structures,
c. add my water ( RO from walgreens) and add my salt. ( 8.0 ph, 80degrees and 1.025 sg)
d. toss in a couple of shrimp and let the cycling begin.
e. in 6 to 8 weeks, once everything spikes and returns to normal,
f. Purchase and add 25 lbs of Live rock and add to tank at this time
g. do a 20% water change, take readings and if good, add a sturdy/hardy fish or coral????
h. And thats my plan of action...
i. Lights... Havent purchased them yet, am leaning towards Marineland Reef LED's 48-60 inch size.

Anyone see how to improve with this? Any glaring oversites???

Thanks all.

Aaron in New Mexico.

[bigdoug]

Use the live rock to cycle, you will have die off from it and your tank will cycle that way. If you go the shrimp method, use a pair of nylons or a pouch to put them in, that way you don't have to fish out pieces as it breaks down. But if you do this then add the live rock you will have another cycle, so imo I would use the live rock to cycle. As far as substrate that is your choice on cosmetics. As for the lights you want I have been thinking about them myself, but cannot find enough info or feedback on them. My last word of advice is take your time, and also set up a qt.

[stingythingy45]

Don't use the shells from the cichlid tank.
You'll eventually hate the look and the shells will become a trap fpr detritus and cause nitrate issues.

[thump9]

I usually like to add in this order:

1)water/salt mix
2)support structure for rock/aquascaping
3)rock/aquascaping
4)sand

I dont like my rock resting on patches of sand.........i feel its better resting on the glass bottom itself or the eggcrate so theres no shifting risk that would cause the rocks to tumble. Besides, any aquascaping looks soooooooo much better and natural when the sand is allow to settle around the rock structure base. Any sand thats left behind on the rock will be blown away by current anyways.

Make sure to give the sand a good couple or three rinsings before adding to the display....this will significantly cut down on your cloudiness, but it helps to run micron filters in your sump .

Not sure if youre leaning towards doing your salt/RO mix while the sand it in the tank.....not a big deal just seems more convenient to mix water/salt alone in the tank or premix it in tubs and THEN add if the sand is already part of the setup.

[SwampyBill]

+1 on putting rockwork down first, then sand. Sounds like a well thought out plan of action, except for the shells as substrate. I agree with what others have said about it being a detritus/nitrate trap & difficult to keep clean. Not to mention the fact that some fish, inverts are sand sifters, & that substrate wouldn't be good for them. & still others, like certain types of wrasse, burrow in the sandbed to sleep or when stressed.
Just take it slow, let the cycle go at it's own pace (6-8 wks), & in the meantime, read the stickies at top of page about setting up new tanks, intended fish purchase, cycling new tanks, etc...Then read some more. Good luck! & btw, welcome to Reef Central!