Mixing saltwater in new tank.

[tmcjilton]

Hello, and thanks in advance for any help. I am setting up a completely new tank and was wondering what the best way to add/mix water and get it into the tank.

I have a 65gal tank completely empty with a Fluval FX4 canister filter ready to go. I had planned on mixing my own saltwater and have purchased enough instant ocean to do so. My question is what’s the best way to do this? Is it best to add water to the tank, run the filter, and then add instant ocean, allowing the filter to “mix” the salt? Or do I need to mix it prior to adding to the tank? Thanks again for any help.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Hello, and thanks in advance for any help. I am setting up a completely new tank and was wondering what the best way to add/mix water and get it into the tank.

I have a 65gal tank completely empty with a Fluval FX4 canister filter ready to go. I had planned on mixing my own saltwater and have purchased enough instant ocean to do so. My question is what’s the best way to do this? Is it best to add water to the tank, run the filter, and then add instant ocean, allowing the filter to “mix” the salt? Or do I need to mix it prior to adding to the tank? Thanks again for any help.

since it’s a brand new setup you’d be ok with filling with water, then dumping in salt. going forward you will want to mix the saltwater before doing your changes.

 

[tmcjilton]

since it’s a brand new setup you’d be ok with filling with water, then dumping in salt. going forward you will want to mix the saltwater before doing your changes.

Thanks for the reply. Should I add sand & rock, then fill the tank completely, then add salt and let it go?

 

[reef lover]

I like to do the sand and rock first then fill and add salt as mentioned that way less of a sand storm

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

rock, sand, water, salt.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

Woah now, I'm going to disagree with the haste in which some folks have recommended rock, sand, water salt, order here. That order depends a LOT of whether you're using live rock or dry rock and live sand or dry dead sand. If you're going to the LFS and picking up live rock with all sorts of good bacteria and stuff on it, you WILL kill it if you stick it in an empty tank and then fill it with freshwater. The same goes for the live sand. Any benefit you would get from the bacteria slurry that comes in the bag of sand will be killed off by the freshwater.

So, if you're using completely dry, dead rock and dry sand, then you can add the rock and sand, than carefully pour in freshwater, and then mix the salt in with powerheads. If you're getting cured wet live rock from your LFS and live sand from a bag, you'll need to add the freshwater and salt in the tank first, let it clear up, and then add your rock followed by sand. If you are using the Caribsea live sand it's best to add that last. Put the bag in the water and then carefully use a boxcutter to slice the bag open from corner to corner and spread around the tank. The sand comes with a clarifying additive. Turn off the powerheads and add the additive and it will clear up fairly quickly (can be as quick as a few hours)

Again, DO NOT add wet live rock from your LFS first and then fill the tank with freshwater.