Filling the tank for the first time. Need advice.

[Kenn]

Hello guys, total beginner here.

I am filling my Red Sea Reefer 250 for the first time, and I am planning to use RO water + Red Sea salt.

Currently I am setting up the aquarium with CaribSea Pink Fiji and Stax Dry Rock from Two Little Fishes. The bacteria I am using for cycling the tank is Colombo Bacto.

My confusion is at when I fill the water for the first time. Is it okay to fill RO Water until full and then I add salt in the aquarium (with stax and sand in it) until I achieved the proper salinity? OR I have to mix the salt with RO water in another bucket and pour it into the tank?

Regards,
Ken

 

[Pdash]

You can mix in the tank as long as there are no animals in it yet! No worries

 

[BadFish619]

You may run into a problem mixing in the tank with sand. It will be cloudy regardless but as long as no life is in it you should be good... welcome to R2R! Slow and steady wins the race!

 

[HCl+NaHO=]

Getting salinity right that was is crazy.

Mix it up in buckets, to 1.026 first. Then put in tank.

I use 5 gallon drinking water jugs for mixing salt for now. Until I get a Norwesco tank for it.

Small hole at the too means little slosh.

Even 50kg women at work throw drinking water jugs around.

 

[Kenn]

You may run into a problem mixing in the tank with sand. It will be cloudy regardless but as long as no life is in it you should be good... welcome to R2R! Slow and steady wins the race!

Thank you. I will try to mix the salt in the tank itself then..

Oh yah, during the mixes, the sand and salt that causes the water appear to be cloudy, It will go away right?

 

[Kenn]

Getting salinity right that was is crazy.

Mix it up in buckets, to 1.026 first. Then put in tank.

I use 5 gallon drinking water jugs for mixing salt for now. Until I get a Norwesco tank for it.

Small hole at the too means little slosh.

Even 50kg women at work throw drinking water jugs around.

I was thinking this at the first time, but I have counted that mixing in a bucket takes too much time, and by the time it finishes the water evaporates.

It takes roughly 10-12buckets for the tank, and a bucket of mixing the salt is around 30min. so roughly around 6hrs of mixing nonstop.

 

[Hallowhead]

I suggest mixing in exterior tubs. You may find that if you mix with a substrate you will not be able to properly stir it as well as the substrate will make the tank incredibly cloudy.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Make it easy on yourself.. fill the tank with RODI and as it fills, mix in the salt. Then add rock.. then sand. Rock first so it sits on the glass and doesn’t rock and fall over.

Good luck and #welcometoR2R

 

[Eve]

I was thinking this at the first time, but I have counted that mixing in a bucket takes too much time, and by the time it finishes the water evaporates.

It takes roughly 10-12buckets for the tank, and a bucket of mixing the salt is around 30min. so roughly around 6hrs of mixing nonstop.

Welcome to R2R. I do NOT want to sound mean, and I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, but having a tank is A LOT of work and time. You have to keep up with everything, no slacking on water changes, on checking water parameters, on the inhabitants. Not fair to have living creatures in your hands and not being able to dedicate the amount of time that they required. Good luck and ask as many questions as you need so you don’t get discouraged. People here are extremely knowledgeable, but is also is good for you to do research and see what works for you.

 

[Vahanyos]

If the tank is completely empty right now....

1. Only add RO water. No sand.
2. Mix in salt. Get salinity where you want it.
3. Add sand.
4. Add bottle bacteria
5. Sit back and let it cycle

 

[Vahanyos]

You shouldn’t use the sump either. Just let it mix in your display only