Salt, sand, and water... What to do first?

[SHOmuchFUN]

I'm starting up a 75gal tank and transferring the contents from my 33 into it.

What order do you guys start tanks up at?
Fill it with water, mix in the salt, then put in the sand?

OR...

Put in the sand, fill it with water, and then mix the salt?

I think the second scenario would decrease the sandstorm time, but wasn't sure if it was okay to mix salt in a tank that already had sand. I hate adding sand to a tank that already has water, as it's a big mess and takes a few days to clear up.

[Anteverius]

I would mix the SW first, then add it to the tank. I have read that you can use a large plate (or some other flat surface) to pour the water on. Set the plate on top of the sand in the bottom of the tank and pour the water onto the plate. This should minimize the stirring of the sand.

[SHOmuchFUN]

I'm definitely not mixing the salt in another container. I already have the 75, the 33, and a 20gal rubbermaid in our dining room holding extra live rock. I don't have enough room, nor do I want to mix up saltwater in ANOTHER container.

[Anteverius]

fair enough.... i think you can mix the water in the tank, but you will probably have one hell of a sandstorm. hopefully someone else with more exp. will chime in, cause i am still kinda a newbie. good luck

[kylecanada]

I have heard of people mixing the water and then using a large diameter PVC pipe to pour the sand into the tank. This will eliminate a sand storm.

[Laddy]

Add sand.

Place bucket on sand.

Start to fill with Ro/Di water with hose into bucket.

Add power head

Add half the salt you orginally calc'd.

Add heater.

Check salinity after 24 hrs.

Add more salt.

I've filled almost six tanks in this manner.

[SHOmuchFUN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12706863#post12706863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Laddy
Add sand.

Place bucket on sand.

Start to fill with Ro/Di water with hose into bucket.

Add power head

Add half the salt you orginally calc'd.

Add heater.

Check salinity after 24 hrs.

Add more salt.

I've filled almost six tanks in this manner.
That's interesting... What size tank did you do this for?

I guess my question is really if I can just put the sand in the tank, then add water, heat it and mix the salt in the water while the sand is still in the tank?

I guess I don't see why not? I could just put the salt in the sump...

[biecacka]

ok so i am finaly ready to start my tank after a few yrs layoff. i got it drilled almost have a sump and am ready to put sand in it. isnt there a sand i can use from lowes or home depot? i cant remember the name of it so i thought i would ask around.
thanks ppl
:)

[mattjfishman]

I just put the water in the tank, add the salt, let it disolve, test, add more if needed, add liverock and then add sand

[SHOmuchFUN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12709636#post12709636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mattjfishman
I just put the water in the tank, add the salt, let it disolve, test, add more if needed, add liverock and then add sand

Yeh, this was more along the lines of what I was going to do, but thought about adding the sand first, as to minimize the sandstorm.

Wasn't sure if adding salt to an aquarium that already had sand would have any ill effects.

[Laddy]

depending on the type of substrate you use, it could raise the specific gravity of the water, that's why I add it first......but its more of a moot point really, both way accomplish the same thing.

[SaltH2Oaddict]

We are just starting a 90 gallon tank. We put the water in the tank, salted it and then added the live sand. There was an initial
"sand storm", but all was well in an hour or two. Live rock after the sand. It's been like that for over a month now, with only a few snails added. Appears to be totally cycled. Trying to get happy with the temperature this week and hopefully start adding fish this weekend.

I'm sure other ways will work as well.

Good luck!