New to Saltwater

[fisher1234]

First off i am new to this site and it is amazing.

But i hav some questions all ansewrs r greatly appreciated. I just bought a 72 gal bow front.
1. What is the best way to start the tank. Mixing water in tank then addin sand, then live rock or wat????
2. How much base rock should i start wit while my tank is cycling.
3. How am i goin to get 72 gallons of RO/Di water from the fish store to my house???

Any suggestion r greatly appreciated!!!!!

[kaihonu82]

welcome!

1 - a lot of people have their own opinions about which way works better, but I don't think there is any 100% correct answer. I would add sand and rock, then slowly add water to the tank. make sure you pre-rinse your sand numerous times until the rinse water is clear. your tank will still be cloudy but it will settle

2- you're going to need AT LEAST 72lbs of LR (1-1.5lbs/gal) for a good set up. the more you can get at the beginning the better. you can always add more rock later but unless the rock is cured (and even sometimes when it is cured) you could see a mini cycle

3 - heh, good luck. home depot sells those 5 gal buckets with lids...that's what's a lot of ppl use. :)

[rbtwo4]

add about 1/4 of water then put the sand in then cover the sand with maybe a plastic cover (garbage bag) and have something to hold it down. that way when u pour the rest of the water u dont have sand all over the place and a sand cloud. what kind of sand are you using? then put ur rocks in. base rock depends on your preference but remember you should at least have 72lbs or more of LR. not a must but its beneficial. as for the 72 gallons of RO/DI to ur house do u have a long hose? :rollface: lol no seriously maybe u should look into buying a RO/DI system if u cant afford it then just mix the salt with tap water or filtered water. being that your tank has to cycle theres nothing wrong with using tap I THINK? im doing it and im 2 weeks into my cycle and have no MAJOR issues (yet :eek1: )

[kuoka]

Welcome!

I wouldn't mix the salt water in the tank. If you have a big (clean) bucket, you can mix it in there. As for lugging the RO/DI, most LFS will let you borrow 5 gal containers. Yes, you'll most likely have to make multiple trips.

I'd add the sand first then add about 30 gal. of SW. Then the LR making sure they all get covered by water (don't let the LR dry out). As for the sand, I used about 50lbs in my 72 and I have another 50 to 60lbs of LR. Remember you probably won't need 72gals due to displacement.

Ps. If you have an overflow and sump, you'll have to account for that too.

[fisher1234]

Im goin to do a FOWLR so i was plannin on using argonite based sand??? Do i hav to start with 75 lbs right away because i was for sure eventually plannin on at least 100 pounds. I was thinkin about just startin wit like 30-40lbs.Thanx

[puffer21]

[welcome]

[theatrus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10313368#post10313368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fisher1234
First off i am new to this site and it is amazing.

But i hav some questions all ansewrs r greatly appreciated. I just bought a 72 gal bow front.
1. What is the best way to start the tank. Mixing water in tank then addin sand, then live rock or wat????
2. How much base rock should i start wit while my tank is cycling.
3. How am i goin to get 72 gallons of RO/Di water from the fish store to my house???

Any suggestion r greatly appreciated!!!!!

1. Sand/water direction is up to you. Either way you need to wait a few days for the water to clear.
2. As much as you can. When adding rock later, add it slowly(piece every few days), as adding too much rock with something dieing on it will cause a mini second cycle of your tank.
3. As you're doing FOWLR, you can attempt tap water, depending on how it is locally. You can always pickup an RO unit for under $200 which involves a lot less lugging.

[Zann]

once you buy the buckets to carry the water and the water it self you can buy a ro/di system

[ahullsb]

If you have the option I would add the live rock first. You can make a stable base and then add the sand. Some people have nitrate problems when there are dead pockets of sand compacted under their rock. If you decide to add sand first, add it, then put a piece of saranwrap or plastic down over the sand. Then you can add water and much less sand will be kicked around.