sand/rock/filter steps ??

[psusocr1]

o.k so i have my tank filled...all 180 gallons of it(220 gallon tank i left room for sand)...so my questions is ...what do i do next? do i add the sand and let it settle befroe i start running my filter system and skimmers.. or do i now run the wet/dry and skimmers and then wait to add the sand??? when do i add the live rock? also i have 200 pounds of regular sand,,then about 40 pounds of live sand? i know i want the live sand on top but do i add all the sand at once or put the play sand down then filter then the live??
any help is appreciated

:notsure:

:joy:

Thanks

 

[psusocr1]

bump

 

[criketnest]

im really new at this and I probably did this the wrong way but i put my sand in first then added the water. Water was really cloudy from disturbing the sand when pouring water in. I had the HOB filter running with one powerhead and it cleared up by the next day. I did not have any live sand but I added the live rock after the water had cleared.
I have a 65 gallon. but like I said I probably did it the wrong way since I am so new to this.
Chris

 

[psusocr1]

thanks for the help.
Anyone else on this subject?? i figured alot of people would answer this quickly but i was wrong
BTW i already have my water in there since it took forever with an ro unit to fill a 200 + gallon tank

 

[criketnest]

whew I bet it did take a long time. I just used tap water for the first fill and let it circulate through the filter for a few days. did not seem to hurt anything. I use RO water now for top offs , etc.
Chris

 

[psusocr1]

well fortunalty i pull from a very clean spring that doesnt need much filtering so it took alot less than expected butt...still along time
oh ya and also when do i add my salt?

 

[criketnest]

i mixed water and salt in 3 gallon bucket as I filled. LFS store guy told me it would take approx 1 bag of salt for the 65 gallon tank so I just mixed the salt into the water until the bag was empty then just added fresh to fill rest of tank.
You know my boyfriend bought me this set up so the fish could be relaxing and I could enjoy it more. I tell you I am more stressed out about water readings and if I should add another fish or not. I think I am scared to buy anything else for it. Although I did buy a sally crab and he seems to be doing well so far (1 week and Counting) he is eating all the nasty brown algae that grows in there. I called LFS store today with water readings and said I could probably get a cleaner crew. Woohoo.
Chris

 

[hot883]

Normally it is easier to add your live rock then sand then water. Protect the sand from getting stirred up by placing a dinner plate on the sand and slowly pour the water on top of it. Since you have your water in, thats a different story. If you pour the sand in there will be a dust cloud from hell. I would scoop it out (needs to be washed thoroughly first to rid alot of the dust) with a large plastic cup or something. Slowly submerge the cup in the water all the way to the bottom and empty it as close to the bottom as possible. If your salt is not added yet, do it after the sand is in.

 

[psusocr1]

o.k thanks alot guys.... i mean its gunna suck trying to put 250 pounds of sand in my tank "slowly" but i guess i gotta do what i gotta do.... any other suggestions are MORE than welcome!! and also when should i be running the filters through what part of all of this???

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by psusocr1
o.k thanks alot guys.... i mean its gunna suck trying to put 250 pounds of sand in my tank "slowly" but i guess i gotta do what i gotta do.... any other suggestions are MORE than welcome!! and also when should i be running the filters through what part of all of this???
If there is alot of particulate floating when you do put the sand in then wait some before turning filters on. You don't want to get a bunch of sand stuff/clog them up.

 

[hot883]

I just read on another thread that this person (sorry forgot the name) uses a piece of PVC pipe and pours the sand down the tube to the bottom of the tank. I have read that before on here and had forgotton that method. Sounds like it would work if the pvc was large enough diameter.

 

[mikeyjer]

Since there's nothing live in there anyway, might as well dump all the sand in there even though it cause a sand storm, but everything will settle down in a day or two and then turn on your filter system to clear up the water. That's just what I would do anyway to save all the trouble. :happyfish

 

[psusocr1]

ya thats what iw as thinking...i mean it will all settle down eventually! (hopefully)

 

[danedodger]

Yep, I agree with Mikeyjer with the one exception that I'd mix the salt in first. Dumping live sand into fresh water would probably kill off any beneficial organisms in it which would totally negate the benefits of livesand.
You've got an empty tank with nothing but fresh water in it, right? If so mix in the salt, test to make sure the salinity is correct (it's better to shoot for a lower salinity then add a bit of salt to get it correct than having it too high forcing you to take some water out and add fresh water to correct it), dump in your sand like he said (playsand first then livesand on top), wait till the sandstorm calms down (yep, probably a few days), and then turn on your filters.

 

[psusocr1]

thanks for the advice guys i appreciate it. i will add my salt probably today or tomm. let it sit ,,then test it. i will post back with results then the sand will go in.
also how the heck do i wash 200 punds of sand? i mean what exactly should id o?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by psusocr1
thanks for the advice guys i appreciate it. i will add my salt probably today or tomm. let it sit ,,then test it. i will post back with results then the sand will go in.
also how the heck do i wash 200 punds of sand? i mean what exactly should id o?
IMO, this is what I would do. Don't put any salt in yet, put all 200lbs of sand into your tank. Wait a day to let things settle then run carbon filters and kinda stir the sand around a bit everyday and do freshwater changes daily. Do that for a month, your sand should be pretty clean. Then add salt after a month then add live sand once everything is in good shape. It's either that or wash your sand. A lot of sand to wash. Another thing you could do is wash one bag of sand a day or however many you wish to, place a bag of sand in large enough bucket and place water in there, stir around then dump out the dirty water, over and over until it's pretty clear... :happyfish

 

[psusocr1]

once again guys thanks for all of the advice. i actually think ill be able to wash a bag at a time,,it looks like 50 pounds at a time will fit in the large drums i have for water changes, so i will just wash it bag by bag,,althouhg it will take awhile, ill get it done.

 

[danedodger]

Just think, at least you only have to go through this process once really

 

[psusocr1]

there should be a Sticky on this board letting people know the time, dedication,money, and everything inbetween that it takes to start a large saltwater tank. evan the small things like washing 250 pounds of sand out!!

 

[psusocr1]

oh boy,,,,someone post back and tell me when they added there sand that they couldnt see throuhg the tank cause it was SOOO cloudy??
im a bit disturbed right now...i really hope this settles , it looks like a tank filled with brown water! i only put 100 pounds in since i dont want to put all 200 in incase i have to do a complete 180 gallon water change!
i tried washing it it 50 pounds by 50 pounds, i think i got it prety clean, then i added it pitcher by pitcher as close to the bottom as possible...but sure enouhg it is VERY cloudy!!
also should i add a powerhead or will this just make it worse
:help:

:scared: