marine set-up Q?

[TheOldSalt]

The first fill can be a big pain, but even in your situation of having to make many trips, it's not one you can avoid. I would recommend the presalted water IF the store has it presalted to the correct level of saltiness and at the correct temperature. If the water is fine in these regards, then filling the tank is simple. Just pour about half of the water into the tank, add your rock and/or sand, and finish filling up to the top.
If you have rock as well as sand, it helps a bit to put the rock down first and pour the sand around them. Putting the rocks down over a layer of sand results in a "dead spot" in your sand under each rock. If you don't have rocks, then there's no problem.
After the tank is filled, install your filters and heater. Do not plug in the heater for about a half-hour, though, in order to allow it's internal thermostat to adjust to the current temperature. While on the subject, always unplug the heater for at least 15 minutes before draining water from the tank, in order to prevent it from breaking.
After the pumps are installed, turn them on and let the tank run for a day to settle in a bit. Check everything the next day to make sure that everything is still the way it should be, and from then on you're ready to go.

We americans usually mix our own water instead of buying it premixed. If it's the first fill, we just fill the tank with water and add salt a bit at a time, letting it dissolve fully and checking the results with a hydrometer until it's in the correct salinity range. Then we set up the pumps and let it run for a day to aerate before doing much else. After a final check to see if everything is still where it should be, or after making needed adjustments, the tank is THEN ready for the sand & rocks. That's very important. Do not add live sand or live rocks to a tank in which the water is not correct in salinity or temperature.

[Fishfirst]

can you buy 2, 5 gallon buckets (20L?) at a store and take your car fill them all, that way its only two trips? At least that would be what I would do. Make one or two trips with big buckets of water sealed with water proof caps.

[Arlene]

Ok...Thankyou very much your posts were very helpful..The store phoned me today to say there is a delay on my lights and they will not be available until next week now....I hate delays!

[Arlene]

I have everything in the tank good to go. I went and got the water today and half filled the tank. I got a cup and poured the sand into the tank over my hand but i dont think i did this right as the water is very cloudy...i cant even see through the water. I have the filter running so this should help with the water?...I am not going to add the live sand until tomorrow so hopefully the cloudiness will be away by then....but will probably come back when i add the LS. I will then add the rest of the water and rock...leave for a few days and my my first fish..does this sound ok? I did try rinsing the sand but how do u successfully rinse sand without losing all of it?..i just put the sand in a bucket then left the tap running for a while turning out the old water ...

[TheOldSalt]

Don't rinse live sand for any reason.

Dead sand you can rinse in a bucket. Swirl it about until most of the cloudiness is gone, but take care to keep the sand itself from escaping the bucket.

Cloudiness is normal and eventually disappears.

[Fishfirst]

yep, give it a few days and it'll settle down...

[Arlene]

Ok more xxxxx problems! I hooked everything up to the tank and all was ok. Then one of my bulbs went out. I changed the bulbs round to make sure it wasnt the bulb and it was ok. I unhooked the lights and fitted both bulbs again...they worked...i put them back onto the aquairium and after about 20 minutes the bulb went off again. The bulb is still heating up so there is still power getting to the bulb. This is just great as i had to order the flaming thing and wait 2 weeks for it..and i have the live sand in the tank!! Im glad i held off from buying the rock. Any suggestions? I have phoned Arcadia and they were going to ring me back as he said this was very unusual to have one working and one not ....but no phone call yet.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[TheOldSalt]

There are a few possibilities, ranging from a loose wire, a bad bulb, or a bad ballast.
Yep. Good thing you don't yet have the rock.

[Arlene]

Well....I should be ready to add my first fish in a few days...woohoo!!

My water is just about clear, im adding live rock tomorrow. Here is a list of fish i would like to have, could you tell me what you think i wouldd be best to go with and what to add first and last.

clown fish, yellow goby, algae blenny, triggerfish (but i dont think i can have that?) some shrimps maybe fire or sexy blue legged hermit sand sifting starfish. Now what could i go with from that list?

[Arlene]

After waiting 2 days for my water to clear its gone cloudy again. I unplugged the filter by mistake so i had to pump it to get the syphon going again and when the filter came on all the water went cloudy again....its like watered down milk. How long does it take for the sand to completely settle?..will it cloud the water everytime something is done like the filter going on?

Also i have been reading other posts about setting up a new tank...will i get an alge bloom at the begining?

Sorry for all the questions.

[Fishfirst]

Fish list: the only thing I wouldn't go with would be the trigger... they can be nasty fish, and they get too big for your tank.

Kinda sounds like some of the bacteria died in the filter and when you turned it back on they went into your water column... not positive on this but it could have happened... anyway, this is temperary (a week or so) and I'd get liverock anyway in a few days or so.

Algae blooms are definately headed your way, live through them by doing your water changes on a schedule, keeping the front of your glass clean. (don't worry about the other sides of glass)

[Arlene]

After watching the filter for a bit i think that there may be some sand particles in the filter...the water will be clearing then the filter will make a funny noise (like its struggling to pump) then a burst of cloudy water will come out the holes. (i know this is not making much sense but its hard to explain) Would it be ok for me to rinse out the foam in the filter at this stage?

[leveldrummer]

only rinse it with water from the tank when you do a water change (not water in the tank, water from the tank in a bucket) you should NEVER rinse it anywhere else!! you can also take the filter out, leave it in a bucket, (just make sure it doesnt dry out) and wash out the filter box. if there is sand in it. i would do that before it ruins your impeller. (little spinny thing) maybe even shorten your intake tube a little bit. you can just take the end off, cut the pipe with a hacksaw or bread knife or something, and then put the end back on. (you want it around 6 " off the bottom.)

[Arlene]

I think i know whats causing my water to be cloudy. I filled a bucket of water from the tank and emptied the filter...there was a lot of chalky stuff on the bottom of the filter and the water was almost white. I rinsed the foam out in the bucket and then i seen the bottom media in the bottom filter, it is white kinda charcoal/chalky stuff (hollow) should i have rinsed this before putting it in?...because i didnt. Could this be causing my water to cloud? as it is not settling at all. Do you think i should take out most of the water and start again with a new lot? I feel really dumb now. I emptied the water from the filter and filled it with water from the tank.

Any suggestions?
thanx:

[TheOldSalt]

Just leave it alone, and it'll clear up eventually.

[Arlene]

Well...After 2 weeks of cycling i think i am just about there, i can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

My readings are:

Phosphate 0.25
Ph 8.2
Nitrite 0.1 (this is the lowest on the chart ..so i would say it was 0)
Nitrate under 5
Amonia 0
Calcium 220-240
salinity 1.021
Temp 25.5

I just have to wait till the Nitrate drops to 0..then monitor for a few days...THEN ADD A WEE FISHY????

Im sitting in dread of the algae bloom should i put some clean-up crew in?
I have bought some Phos-zorb anyone used this before?

Arlene

[Fishfirst]

a clean up crew would be a good investment at this point in time, as well as a first fish possibly a week or two later.

[Arlene]

Hi all..Tank has been up and running for over a month now, all is going good but im starting to get the algae bloom ive heard people talking about. I clean the front and sides daily, do i clean the green algae off the back wall or just let it run its course?

[Fishfirst]

I let it run its coarse in my own tanks and I get nice coraline algae build up eventually.