some one help me start a tank!

[Open]

im gonna start a 24 gallon tank but i want to know what order i should put things in(LR,sand...ect.) does any PROS have any ideas?

 

[Anonymous]

well I don't know if I qualify as a pro but I'd put the water in first JK
- then add sand and live rock at same time. Leave it unlighted or on a greatly reduced lighting period for about a month and then come back on and we'll discuss the rest. Spend the month your waiting reading everthing you can get your hands or computer on to about reef tanks. Check the archives of this site and others in the beginners area and you'll find tons of info. - good luck and welcome to reefing!!

 

[Open]

lol thanks

 

[Open]

actually, all the books i read say that i should let it sit for like 1 week mabey? but NEVER a month...... are u just being causas or is hat the way to go?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm being cautious - but being cautious is the way to go. Patience is very importent in this hobby, they say nothing good ever happens fast only bad things do, take your time and do it right and learn from others setups. You could get away with less time then a month if the rock you buy is a a very high quality and then you test your water for the cycling process. You will need amnonia and a nitrite test kit. Test for each about 2x per week untill both go to zero (can take as little as 2 weeks sometimes but definitly more then 1 week!) then you can slowly add one thing at a time. But as I said waiting a month is a ggod thing cause it lets your tank more then just cycle - it allows time for microcrustaceans and other organisms to reproduce.

 

[Open]

o the place im going to isnt on the internet so its almost cured........ did you mean uncured rock?

 

[drty811]

yes he means cured LR......there is a couple different qualities of LR. if you can buy LR and LS out of a tank that is been running for a while , you might not even have a cycling time....thats what i did. i even got water too. well good luck and happy reefing

 

[Open]

and jonathon, you also said that i should put in LR and sand in at the same time, the book i read sayed LR then LS why would you do it at the same time?

 

[Phischy]

What book are you reading?

 

[incysor]

If you stack your rock, then pour sand around the bottom it'll help hold the base rock in place. Put a saucer or something on the sand and pour the water onto it. This will make aquascaping easier since you can see the rock without the water being all churned up and silted out. Pouring the water onto the saucer will again help things from being as silted out. Doing things this way, my tanks have never stayed cloudy for more than 3-4hrs after setting a tank up.

B