Made a mistake setting up my new aquarium

[mtwatkins]

Hi all.
I just got my first tank set up yesterday. However, after doing more reading today, I may have made an error.
I added the live sand to the tank, then added my tap water, and then added the salt concentrate, and mixed it all in the aquarium.
Did I accidentally kill the live sand? No fish are present yet, and I have about half my salt mix and half my live sand left. Should I just dump it out and start over tonight, or do you think I'll be okay if I let it sit a few days before adding fish?
The guys at my local fish store are very frustrating. They offer very little help to new hobbyists. I appreciate any input.

 

[beth]

Yea, salt should be premixed prior to live sand or live rock. How much sand are we talking about?

 

[lmforbis]

Since you can't add fish for probably a month or more while your tank cycles it doesn't really matter. Live sand is not necessary. I never use it. It will become live as the tank cycles. Do some research on how to cycle a tank. Usually people use a dead shrimp or ghost feed to get the bacteria going. The addition of a single piece of cured live rock will seed the tank with the bacteria. The cycle allows that bacteria to grow to populations that are big enough to break down the waste in your tank. They used to use a cheap fish for the cycle but now days that is never done. It is cruel to the fish to subject them to ammonia which builds up while the tank is cycling.

In the future do not use tap water only reverse osmosis deionized water and always mix your salt in another container.

 

[mtwatkins]

Yea, salt should be premixed prior to live sand or live rock. How much sand are we talking about?

Its only a 5 gallon tank, and I used about 5 pounds of live sand.
The sand was only in the tap water for about 15 seconds before I started mixing the salt. So far, its seems like most people have the same idea. I probably did kill the sand, but as I let the tank cycle, it will most likely come back to life.

 

[mtwatkins]

Since you can't add fish for probably a month or more while your tank cycles it doesn't really matter. Live sand is not necessary. I never use it. It will become live as the tank cycles. Do some research on how to cycle a tank. Usually people use a dead shrimp or ghost feed to get the bacteria going. The addition of a single piece of cured live rock will seed the tank with the bacteria. The cycle allows that bacteria to grow to populations that are big enough to break down the waste in your tank. They used to use a cheap fish for the cycle but now days that is never done. It is cruel to the fish to subject them to ammonia which builds up while the tank is cycling.

In the future do not use tap water only reverse osmosis deionized water and always mix your salt in another container.

Thanks a ton for the input.
Yes, I know now to only use the right kind of water. The stuff I bought said it was safe to use with tap water (it has the anti-chlorine stuff built in or whatever.) As I said, the guys in my local fish store are absolutely abysmal customer service wise, so I've done basically everything up to this point by learning on my own. Bound to make a few mistakes, I guess :/

 

[lmforbis]

It isn't really the chlorine in the water that is a problem that is easy to remove it is everything else dissolved in water metals which can be toxic to marine animals and phosphate and nitrate that cause horrible algae problems.
Poor service is not unusual in a fish store. I drive 40+ miles each way to give my business to a good one.

 

[mtwatkins]

It isn't really the chlorine in the water that is a problem that is easy to remove it is everything else dissolved in water metals which can be toxic to marine animals and phosphate and nitrate that cause horrible algae problems.
Poor service is not unusual in a fish store. I drive 40+ miles each way to give my business to a good one.

So, do you think I should just dump my current tank and start over with fresh salt water and sand?

 

[jay0705]

Your fine, its just starting w new sand basically lol

 

[beth]

Ok, one reason I get live sand is to either shorten or eliminate having any cycle. So, with that in mind, live sand does matter if the goal was to get up and running asap. For instance, the last tank I had I set up with 100% live sand. The tank never cycled, never had ammonia, nitrite, nor nitrates for that matter. So, if you are going to pay for it, then you have to set it up properly. In this case, the mistake is made but its still do-able. You can proceed with cycling the tank. If you plan to add live rock (recommended), then don't forget to feed it to keep it alive while you break in your tank.

 

[Kristin1234]

Ok, one reason I get live sand is to either shorten or eliminate having any cycle. So, with that in mind, live sand does matter if the goal was to get up and running asap. For instance, the last tank I had I set up with 100% live sand. The tank never cycled, never had ammonia, nitrite, nor nitrates for that matter. So, if you are going to pay for it, then you have to set it up properly. In this case, the mistake is made but its still do-able. You can proceed with cycling the tank. If you plan to add live rock (recommended), then don't forget to feed it to keep it alive while you break in your tank.

Will the undisclosed salt particles not hurt anything?

 

[Kristin1234]

Undissolved **

 

[beth]

Well, I'm assuming there are no animals in the tank so no, no harm there. Allow it to mix a couple of days, then add a couple pieces of live rock. Feed the rock every other day a bit of fish food and it should cycle fine.