starting my 175 FOWLR

[harndog]

Well I bought a 150 today that is a reef so I am going to use the Rock from it to set up my 175 all except that with coral those rocks will be going into my 75 reef. I am making new ro/di water for the 175. My qeustion is two fold. I plan to add a bucket of instant ocean and turn on the sump and the 4 maxijet 1200 to stir the salt and add as needed. The bucket says it's good for 160 gal so I should have to add a little. Will I be able to put the LR in the freshly made Saltwater with no adverse affects and if so with the rock being in a tank that is up and runiing I should have very little if any cycle correct? No die off to cause the cycle to start. the rock has a ton of good bacteria in it so it should be like the best way to start a tank. I still am not going to add any fish for at least a couple weeks just curious.
Planned fish for sure would include
V. Lion
DF Puffer
Blue Tang
Sailfin Tang
Green wolf eel or Zebra Moray
Maybe a soldier fish that has been with the sailfin and the green wolf as well as a large stars and stripe puffer for at least 6 months in the LFS in a 30 or 40 gallon tank.

 

[ams153]

i could be wrong but im pretty sure the tank has to eventually cycle.. so if the rock didnt start it the fish would then youd have dead fish im not sure get other oppinions but id say its better safe than sorry fish can be expensive

 

[boatdrinks]

Originally Posted by Harndog
The bucket says it's good for 160 gal so I should have to add a little.
Actually, You'll probably have some left over... (water displacement from sand&rock)
I would cycle the tank first using a frozen shrimp or two (from the supermarket) before adding the LR seeing that your rock is already fully cured. Mixing the salt in a tank containing LR is sure to kill off much of the life in the rock.

 

[mitzel]

Originally Posted by BoatDrinks
Actually, You'll probably have some left over... (water displacement from sand&rock)
I would cycle the tank first using a frozen shrimp or two (from the supermarket) before adding the LR seeing that your rock is already fully cured. Mixing the salt in a tank containing LR is sure to kill off much of the life in the rock.
I agree fully
Mix it before you add the rock .

 

[harndog]

I did I mixed the salt in yesterday with 4 maxijet 1200 running. The sump still needed to be filled. After putting in all of the LR the sump is now full the tank is up and running except skimmer. It is still cloudy but clearing now that I have it going through the sump. It appears I will have to add some more salt water to it the. SG is about 1019 to 1020 att. at 78% F. My reef tank is 1025 on the same refractometer. Thanks for your help. I hope all of the salt got mixed with about 24 hours. I know the rock had some hitchikers including a big P shrimp I saw him come out of the rock after putting it in. Hope he makes it couldn't catch him. doubt he will if it cycles to much

 

[mitzel]

Sounds good . Try bringing up the SG a bit but otherwise sound fine . The Pshrimp might make it they are tough little suckers .
Good luck and keep us updated on your tank

 

[harndog]

Well Tank has been up for 2 months now all is well. Nice red sea sailfin tang, Blue tang and just added the DF puffer he is such a cute little guy. The p shrimp made it and I took advantsge of the free snails SWF was giving away before the holidays and have 40 hermits 20 blue and 20 reds. Next either dwarf lion, v lion or a wolf eel. woried about the eel going into overflows though. Also thinking about n trigger. Anyone have any suggestions for new additions??? What about blue spot grouper to big? would a fox face lo be ok with lion puffer and the two tangs??? a little color would be cool we have blue and yellow so far need some red and maybe more yellow. green would be cool as well as orange?????