Getting ready to add water!!

[Gietz]

So I'm getting 35 gallons of already cycle water from a buddy and yes I've seen his water parameters and they are fine. The rest of the 30 gallons will be RODI mix with salt. Just wanted to see if what you all thought of this process and if it is a good idea. I still won't be adding fish until my parameter are right but will I be able to add live rock at this time??

 

[phi delt reefer]

water mix will be fine...

the live rock you get will probably have some die off which will cause an ammonia spike in your tank which will get your cycle going.

bump the heat up to 85 degress and see if your buddy will give you some live sand as well to add to help seed your sandbed.

keep checking your parameters every few days.

ammonia will spike first - water will stink

then nitrites will be off the charts

once nitrAtes come down to zero you will be good add fish. you want to do it as soon as that happens because the denitifying bacteria need food to survive so you want a source of ammonia (fish) there to feed the tank.

 

[Gietz]

Yes I expected to still have a cycle cause I need to make 50 lbs of Rick live, how much sand should I try to get?? Also I plan on adding clowns to start. What should come first the fish or CUC??

 

[phi delt reefer]

dont get that fine sand - waste of money and a pain in the neck.

Carib Sea sea floor special grade. I am following Darryl_V's recommendation and just doing enough for a sub 1" sandbed - no need to go deeper. whats the foot print of your tank? assumming its the same as mine so one 40lb bag should be good.

 

[Gietz]

Sand is already in the tank a I got almost 2 inch of it, it's the Eco- reef stuff, I know you had a problem with it but I don't have as much flow(34x) as you and I've heard good things.  Foot print of the tank is about 48 by 12

 

[phi delt reefer]

yeah with less flow you should be fine. just keep an eye on it. you may want to reduce the sand so its only at 1". 2" isnt going to do anything extra for the tank.