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Rufnek100
10/14/2015, 09:13 AM
I'm in the process of setting up my first tank and am planning on initially filling the tank directly from my RO/DI unit. At this point the DT will already have the sand and rock in place (CaribSea Pink Fiji Sand & BRS Reefsaver rock)

Once filled I will mix salt directly in the tank and being the curing / cycling process - are there any caveats to having live sand in freshwater for the day or two it's going to take to fill the tank? I don't want to kill any beneficial bacteria, but I'm not sure how "alive" live sand is anyway...

Are there any other reasons I wouldn't want to do it this way - it sure seems a lot easier than toting pre-mixed Brute cans back and forth.

Thanks!

JammyBirch
10/14/2015, 09:29 AM
You'll kill everything in the rock and sand. I think it's important to run RODI in the tank though, it gives the pure water time to react with anything that may be in the tank.

Here's what i did...

1. Filled the tank with RODI only, let it set for a couple of hours.
2. Then i completely drained it and re-filled it with RODI.
3. I added my salt mix, at this stage of the game you need to have all systems working, return pump and heaters
4. Once the SpecG was at the nominal level i added sand, i did this via the bottle method
5. Added my rock

Some people will not like the sand and then rock method and that's fine, just switch those steps if you're uncomfortable with it.

Mr.Tan
10/14/2015, 09:34 AM
id pre-mix the water and salt first and have it ready. Once it is, put the sand/rock in and then fill it right away with the FSW.

If you want to leak-test the tank, just fill it with ro/di and then drain, and then do the step above

Sk8r
10/14/2015, 09:34 AM
Get a mixing barrel (Rubbermaid Brute trash can) or white poly bucket to mix in. Mix with a strong mixing pump for at least 12 hours, ideally 24 hours before use. Never subject any living organism to straight salt, and understand that the 'salt' we use is many elements (read label on mix) some of which are slow to dissolve.

Also---put the rock down before the sand, and have that water ready to go when you do add the sand. Don't let it sit and dry out.

gone fishin
10/14/2015, 09:47 AM
Personally I don't put much stock in the bagged live sand and since your starting with dry dead rock that is really not a concern.

I personally like to mix it and put it into the tank for the initial fill up.

If you would like to fill then add then I would get your power heads going and return pump if you have a sump. Once that is going then I would add the salt slowly to the sump and allow that to dissolve then add more. If going directly to the DT then I would add very slow across the tank, not in one spot. You want to try and keep as much salt as possible from settling onto the sand, just takes longer to dissolve.

I would not turn the heater on until after everything is mixed up, salt dissolves better in cooler water. Just my 2 cents good luck

Rufnek100
10/14/2015, 10:05 AM
Thanks for the replies - it's a 120G DT (not counting the sump / fuge), so it's going to take a few rounds with a Brute. Maybe that's the way to do it after all. I like the idea of being able to aquascape and add the sand without water in the tank. I calculate about 5 gal for every one inch of tank height, so if I have an initial 30 gallons or so premixed then 6" of water on top of the sand should keep everything in check until I can get the rest of the water made up.

JammyBirch
10/14/2015, 10:16 AM
I would not turn the heater on until after everything is mixed up, salt dissolves better in cooler water. Just my 2 cents good luck

Ah...Couple of things, the Spec Gravity is temperature dependent so you will need the water to be at temperature to get the SG correct. Everything dissolves faster and more evenly in hot water, due to molecular excitment.

Just say'n

For a 120G tank i would definetly mix the salt in the tank, i'm with you i don't want to haul all of that water around either.

TylerVT26
10/14/2015, 10:39 AM
I did the same thing you are planning. I put my rock in first with tank empty then added my sand. I then filled tank with RODI water and mixed salt once filled. The bacteria in the live sand will most likely die after it sits in RODI water for a couple days but it's not a big deal. That bacteria will grow back once you finish your cycle. Good luck!

Rufnek100
10/14/2015, 11:52 AM
Thanks again for the replies - a few great perspectives to consider here.

chucko
10/14/2015, 01:36 PM
I just set mine up, also a 120g and what I did was:
-Fill up with RODI and let it run for a day or two.
-Drained 75% or of the RODI.
-Added/arranged rocks.
-Filled back up with RODI.
-Let it run for few more days.
-Drained about 10-15% of the RODI. Basically was just sucking out some of dust and fine particles from the rock.
-Mixed up 10-15 gallons of super salty water....and refilled the tank with that.
-Added more salt to tank with Powerheads and pump running at max.
-Used a maxijet to blow sand off of and out of rocks.
-Added more salt, tested, and just kept blowing it of the rocks when I got around to it. Kept adding more salt and testing as needed.
-After a day or two I had the salt where I wanted it and added the sand.

gone fishin
10/15/2015, 09:00 AM
Ah...Couple of things, the Spec Gravity is temperature dependent so you will need the water to be at temperature to get the SG correct. Everything dissolves faster and more evenly in hot water, due to molecular excitment.

Just say'n

For a 120G tank i would definetly mix the salt in the tank, i'm with you i don't want to haul all of that water around either.

Using hot water to mix the salt can cause calcium to precipitate out.

just say'n

Sk8r
10/15/2015, 09:21 AM
The live sand however, will not be live long if soaked in freshwater ro/di.

JammyBirch
10/16/2015, 09:05 AM
Using hot water to mix the salt can cause calcium to precipitate out.

just say'n

ok buddy, then say that in the first place. Caclium precipitation happens when adding salt too quickly, like in buckets. In any event, getting SG correct and dissolving salt is better in warm water.

gone fishin
10/16/2015, 09:08 AM
yeah ok