Filling Main Display Tank And Sump

[RWH]

Ok, so I have evrything in place to now start filling the tank and sump, and start the system up.
What is the best way to proceed? Do I fill sump and use it to pump water into main tank until it is full
and then fire up the sytem? This is the one part I'm still NOT 100% clear on.

75 gal tank with a 45 g sump, ASM3 protein skimmer and MAG 9.5 retun pump, 2 Hydor power heads in display tank, one in each corner right now

I have enough RO/DI and also salt water to get started, and will have to mix a little more salt water as I am filling the system.

Lace rock and sand are in the tank now, and I will be adding additional live rock once I have had the tank running for a few days...

Clown fish are in quarantine tank now, and will be first fish going in once the display tank has cycled
hopefully within the next 4-5 weeks

Any advice or guidence would be appreciated.

Tried to upload a pic of the tank..but file is too big..

 

[heath]

I just finished my 125 and I filled the sump and then the tank.. good luck, this is the exciting part, watching it come to life..good luck..p.s. be prepared for an algae bloom..

 

[reef keeper]

I filled the tank. Then it overflows into your sump

 

[yveterinarian]

I filled my tank first as well. If you are worried about the sand getting disturbed you can pour the water onto one of the rocks so that it doesn't hit the sand directly. Usually the sand will make the water a bit cloudy unless you rinsed it first so put a filter sock on the overflow pipe to help clear the water for you then remove it when it is clear.

 

[Kevin Tran]

I filled the tank. Then it overflows into your sump

Yup, do as reef keeper said until the sump is full of water than stop, now you can fire up the pump to pump water into the tank, wait until the water in the sump don't go down any lower to mark the water line (I use a piece of tape or a marker). This line will indicate the max water volume you should put into the tank during water top off or water change. Do it this way to ensure if the pump fail/stop, you won't have water over float from the sump to the floor.

 

[RWH]

Thanks for your help folks!
Took the day off work to get this tank running! I'll take some pics and see if I can compress the files enough to
post. I have the setting on my camera at the highest resolutiion...so the filles are pretty large.

Cheers!
...Rick

 

[yveterinarian]

Thanks for your help folks!
Took the day off work to get this tank running! I'll take some pics and see if I can compress the files enough to
post. I have the setting on my camera at the highest resolutiion...so the filles are pretty large.

Cheers!
...Rick

Can't wait to see them. If you upload your pictures onto a site like Photobucket it is very easy to post them on here from photobucket and you don't have to re-size them.

 

[RWH]

pics.......

 

[TORX]

Updated url to img code

 

[Kevin Tran]

I like the rock

 

[Thanh]

Wow nice aquascaping!! I like the open look

 

[RWH]

Thanks Folks!

Going to add 3-4 pieces of live rock to hopefuly seed the lace rock in time. I like the open concept as well.
It makes the tank brighter and from what I have read it also helps with the flow.

Only downer right now is I cannot get the two clowns in the QT tank to eat right now? No idea why?
Tried frtozen brine shrimp, flakes and small pellets...but no luck? Seemed to eat small portions when I first got them, but not now? They have only been in there about a week now..but I am concerned that if they don't start eating I will lose them.

Both are from captive bred stock and taking pellet food fine at the LFS..

 

[sunnykita]

try frozen mysis shrimp

 

[Kman]

You can also get a product called AminOmega by brightwells and soak for an hour some frozen food with it. The extra taste of it helps get finicky eaters to eat. A little goes a long way with this product though. To much use can cause a algae problem. So use sparingly.

 

[Kevin Tran]

I have a bottle of that aminomega that was given to me by Eric, can pass it along if you want it.

 

[RWH]

Don't think the problem is the food......I have an ammonia problem...and its not going away. Unfortunately I have lost the small clown and the cleaner shrimp....I set this 8 gallon QT nano tank up over 3 weeks ago and made the misrtake of not checking the water before I put these guys in...stupid move,,but they seemed ok for a week or so...and now this has happened
I was treating water with Seachem Stability for those weeks before introducing thr fish. Two filters running in that tank as well..one sponge filter and a smaller intertnal fluval.

Anyways, no nitrites showing up, just ammonia count staying at 0.50....I started checking things and took sponge filter out to clean it and noticed rust on the bottom...so obviously this was not good..took it out immediately. Second thing I did was test my water sources ..RO was at 0.00 TDS...HOWEVER...the Instant Ocean salt mix I have made up..is st 0.25...and that is what my main display tank is now showing? So my question is... is this normal for the fresh mixed water to have ammonia in it?

I picked up some Dr Tim's today and dosed both tanks to see if it sorts this out. Learning from mistakes.......
But, should I be taking that salt back or switching brands? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[heath]

wow, I didn't realize that salt will raise the ammonia in a tank, I use IO..

 

[RWH]

I was surprised to find ammonia in the salt water when it was mixed, and I am wondering if its a bad batch of salt?
From what I have seen most folks are using Instant Ocean and being new to the hobby, I was not sure if this was normal?
I have a Brute container with about 20 gallons of premixed water on hand with a power head circulating it. I checked it again tonight and its still at 0.25 ppm for ammonia? This has been mixed from RO water with 0.00 TDS as well....

 

[Kman]

My brute container leaked ammonia and phosphate into my new tank water. I would go to home Depot and get the blue Rubbermaid. I have attached the link. I went out and got that one and it immediately solved that issue.

http://m.homedepot.ca/Product/productdetails.aspx?ProductId=981265&lang=EN

 

[Kman]

When I say immediately solve that issue I am referring to the container leaching nutrients into the water. You will still have to get the ammonia under control in the tank.