Adding LR/LS ?

[cjpaske]

I have my 55Gal set up and ready to add saltwater. I want to purchase LR/LS thru this site. Do I purchase the sand and rock together along with my cleanup crew or do I wait and add the crew later? If someone could list the steps if you were just starting out. Thanks everyone has been very helpful don't think I could do it without this site, to many questions, just want to do it right.

 

[thomas712]

Order the sand and rock first, do not order the cleanup crew just yet.
Place a layer of sand in the tank say 1 inch. Then place the rock down about how you want it, when placing the first rocks in you will want to slowly move it side to side to seat it down into the sand, add the rest of your sand, and add the water. If you are going for the DSB thing you may want to use some base rock on the bottom of the the sand first to raise the liverock above it. This baserock will become live and coralline encrusted in due time, months actually.
Wait untill the cycle is complete and your ammonia and nitrites read 0, and your nitrates are low less than 10. Due a water change after the cycle. Wait a couple more weeks and then order your cleanup crew.
Thomas