Whats next...?

[sarah fair]

AHH! FINALLY I found that 55 gallon with everything for $125!
:joy: YAY! :joy:
Ok but anyways..
Since Im getting this tank today its basically gonna BMW and I need money for the week so I cant really buy salt yet...
Can I fill it up anyways and it start cycling? I will be able to buy salt friday but I need that tank ready to put fish in there ASAP!
And when I go get the salt should I put a clean up crew in there? Like while its cycling? Because I heard thats what you can do...but idk

 

[joshradio]

you'll have to have it set up until the ammonia and nitries/nitrates are all at zero with salt in it... there is no quick fix! Unless you're tranferring it from another personal tank of yours... that's my honest opinion!

 

[joshradio]

and no animals of any sort until it finishes cycling... they'll just die

 

[nm reef]

No salt=no marine system.....if you have any living marine creatures and you don't have an established salinity level appropiate for them they will die.
I'd urge you to locate a copy of a very good book..."The Conscientious marine Aquarist" and read it. Then cycle and establish your new 55 gal aquarium slowly and carefully.

 

[sarah fair]

Well of course Im not going to put the fish in there with no salt..thats just stupid.
I was asking if I could go ahead and put the water in there...

 

[crimzy]

There is really no benefit to filling the water without salt. It is easier to mix the saltwater before putting it in the tank. Actually, my preference is to mix the water and fill the tank about halfway and then adding the substrate (sand or cc). Then adding the rest of the water. There are a couple reasons for this. If you try to mix in salt with the water already in the tank, much of the salt grains will get caught in the substrate so your salinity levels will not be stable. You could mix the salt in the tank if there's no substrate in yet, but then you'll probably make quite a mess when you add 50-60 lbs of substrate to a tank that's already filled with water. JMO.

 

[sarah fair]

Ok so let me see if i got this:
Add 1/2 the water all the salt wait till it all dissolves then add my sand then fill it the rest of the way up?

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Sarah Fair
Ok so let me see if i got this:
Add 1/2 the water all the salt wait till it all dissolves then add my sand then fill it the rest of the way up?
You could do that... I find it simpler just to mix the salt with the water in a bin or bucket then pour it into the tank.

 

[dayday]

im newbe just wanted to know im setting my tank up on friday now im getting saltwater from the lfs do i need to buy salt also are is the saltwater enough and can I pour the live sand in also the same day or do i need to wait? thanks