Initial water add to new tank

[Aggie1978]

I am new to the hobby and ready to fill my new Red Sea 500 Peninsula tank (display + sump = 132 gal.). I have placed my aquascape in the tank (80% dry Marco base rock + 20% dry live rock) as well as 1-2" Caribsea Special Grade Reef sand. I bought an RODI system which will make about 75 gal/day. Can I slowly add 50-75 gal. every day over 2 or 3 days to fill? Should I mix the salt first or add to the tank once full with RODI (I've seen both methods done)?

 

[Hydrored]

I would fill it first then add salt, yes you can slowly fill it

 

[BlennyTime]

It should work, since you are using dry sand and rock. But let everything settle before you start mixing.

 

[HeyJay]

I'd mix the water first if you've already added sand.... I'm sure either way is fine but I think a lot of salt would settle undissolved into the sanbed

 

[Aggie1978]

I'd mix the water first if you've already added sand.... I'm sure either way is fine but I think a lot of salt would settle undissolved into the sanbed

Thanks - maybe I'll add the salt little by little to help avoid it settling in the sand. In any case I would think by the time it finishing cycling everything (even in the sand) would be dissolved?

 

[HeyJay]

Thanks - maybe I'll add the salt little by little to help avoid it settling in the sand. In any case I would think by the time it finishing cycling everything (even in the sand) would be dissolved?

I'm sure it would. I just like to mix the salt vigorously, and you can't do that with a sand bed. I also use Reef Crystals, which isn't as quick to dissolve as some other brands.

 

[smacbride]

Get a couple of large rubber maid trash cans from Home Depot, mix your salt in those and then pump it in using a pond pump or something similar. The trash can can also double as your mixing station down the road. You never know when you have a water parameter issue and need to change out 50% of the water.

 

[Aggie1978]

Get a couple of large rubber maid trash cans from Home Depot, mix your salt in those and then pump it in using a pond pump or something similar. The trash can can also double as your mixing station down the road. You never know when you have a water parameter issue and need to change out 50% of the water.

Yes, I am already planning to build a permanent mixing station following the examples I've seen on several threads here. Just have to wait - I've already sunk in over $5K into my setup, yikes! Yes I knew before hand what I was getting myself into with this hobby , I have to pace myself on expenses now. So I am just getting ideas for my initial fill.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I generally fill tank at 60-70% and then add salt. Allow pumps to curculate and mix the salt for you within the tank.

 

[GillMeister]

I mixed 75 gallons at a time, and it took me three fills to get the tank and the sump completely full. I kept a powerhead and a heater in the tank as I filled it and that gave me a jump on the nitrogen cycle. I didn't feel comfortable mixing salt in the tank.

 

[lapin]

You can use the rodi to fill your tank. Turn on the pumps and add the salt to your sandless sump.

 

[Aggie1978]

You can use the rodi to fill your tank. Turn on the pumps and add the salt to your sandless sump.

Ok, this sounds like the way to go. So how do I add the salt? My tank + Sump is 132 gals but there will be displacement of the water by the volume of the rocks and sand. How do you account for that? Or do you simply add the salt - following the manufacturer's instructions - slowly and testing as you go until I reach a specific gravity of between 1.025 to 1.027 in the display tank?

 

[homer1475]

Fill the tank enough so your overflow will function properly, half fill the sump. Turn on all pumps, and PH's. dump the salt in your sump measuring as you go.