What's the best way to fill a tank?

king triton

king triton

New Member
Can I get idea on the best way to fill a tank? What type of water? Tap water? Machine filtered (the machines outside grocery stores) that sort of thing.
Thanks again guys and gals! Your helping me sooo much!
 
playtime

playtime

Member
Tap water is not good. I use the water from the machine outside the grocery store. It is inexpensive and the ph and nitrite levels are good. Always us a dechlorinader (sp).
Hope this helped.
Playtime
 
fender

fender

Active Member
Basically poor it in. Depends on what order you want to do things.
I filled my tank about 2 inches short of full. Started adding salt, and made adjustments until salinity was right. Put in the power heads and let it mix.
Wait a day.
Then get your sand, LS, LR or what ever else you plan to get started with for cycling -don't use damsels unless you plan to keep them and even then cycling with fish is cruel in some ppls opinion.
Adding dry sand will make your tank cloudy for a couple of days. Avoid crushed coral you'll regret it, and search the board for substrate recommendations.
[ August 21, 2001: Message edited by: fender ]
 
fender

fender

Active Member
Go with about 4" and don't use silica sand, use an pure aragonite type as it will help with buffering for PH. Silica can cause other problems altho some would disagree.
 
playtime

playtime

Member
Fender: Please say you are not doing that for water changes. It is my opinion that that isn't the way to go. You should always mix your salt and water in a separate clean container, add a powerhead or airator to make sure it is mixed well before you add it. It is actually reccommended that you let it set with the powerhead or airator overnight then add it. Depending on the temp. where you are, you might want to heat it also.
I hope I am making my point. I am no expert but I know that adding the salt directly to the tank is very dangerous. Please don't do that.
Playtime
 
calvin & hobbes

calvin & hobbes

Member
I do not think that's what fender met, remember, he leaves his tank 2 inches short of water, so I am guessing he is adding premixed salt water slowly at a time to get to the right salanity...
 
playtime

playtime

Member
Sorry almost forgot about the subtrate question. I love crushed coral. it is a matter of opinion and personal prefrence. It also depends on what look you are going for. Personall, The crushed coral is easier to clean for me. I have talked to others who agree. But, as I said, it is personal prefrence.
When I filled my tanks for the first time, I added the crushed coral, then the water (pre mixed of coarse) about 3/4 full. Then arranged my liverock and finished filling the tank. That is also the way my books suggested it. You can add the liverock then the water and rearrange the rocks later. It is up to you.
Hope this helped
Playtime
 
playtime

playtime

Member
In a nutshell YES! I have heard from others that the sand tends to get sucked up in the vacuuming process and the Crushed Coral doesn't. I use the medium but it does come in fine and larg. As I said, it is a personal choice. I started with the CC and I don't dare try to change it after almost a year. What a job.
Playtime
 
fender

fender

Active Member
Playtime,
I was not talking about a water changes, I was referring to a new tank setup. What is dangerous about mixing salt and water in an empty tank?
The procedure you outlined is exactly what I do when I do a water <b>change</b>. It would have taken me a week to fill my 90 if I mixed a batch of water at a time. airated overnight and added to the tank- besides my wife would have killed me having all buckets sitting around for days.
 
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