New tank

[tclark828]

Hey guys i just set my 90 gallon tank set up. It was filled with RO water and the salt has been added. What is my next step for getting it ready to add live rock/live sand? Also, if i purchase fully cured live rock from my LFS, will it be ready to go when i put it in my tank? I really am trying to avoid going through the entire curing process.
Thanks
TC

 

[maryg]

Welcome. I have a 90 gallon and it is a perfect size to start with.
For your 90 you will need at least 60 lbs of sand. You can buy live sand but save your money and just buy dry aragonite and rinse it well.
Buy your rock. You will need between 1-2 pounds per gallon. Put some cheap base rock directly on the bottom glass as a good anchor and to prevent landslides from bottom dwellers that sift sand.
Add your sand over the base rock then start your aquascaping with the nicer peices.
There is no fast way to cycle your tank. It takes patience. Start slow and you will be rewarded. The live rock will seed your sand. You can add a raw shrimp to start the nitrogen cycle. It may take a few weeks. Read here as much as you can. There is good information on the new hobbiest thread.

 

[gypsana]

You can't avoid a curing process. Patience is always rewarded in this hobby. Since you already have the water in the tank make sure it is only about 3/4 full when you add your sand. When you start to add the live rock you may need to taken even more water out. If you do not want a real cloudy mess you can add the sand through a larger diameter pvc and a funnel. I had purchased live rock from a LFS that was supposedly fully cured. It still had a crazy algae bloom in my tank.

 

[lkgrenegade22]

Add the live rock 1st, sit it flat on the bottom then add the sand after you have all the rock in. If you buy truly cured live rock you may not even see a cycle...It will definately speed things up.

 

[tclark828]

Thanks for all of the help. Is there a certain amount of time i should wait to add the live rock? The system has been up and running for 24 hours so far.

 

[lkgrenegade22]

Originally Posted by Tclark828
http:///forum/post/2917335
Thanks for all of the help. Is there a certain amount of time i should wait to add the live rock? The system has been up and running for 24 hours so far.
Nah, not to add the rock and sand. Go ahead and do that.