New Red Sea Peninsula Build and questions

[Aggie1978]

Hi folks - here are a couple of pics of my new reef tank. 1st timer here so bear with me. Here is what I am starting with:

Tank - "48" X 24" X 24" - 105 gal
Sump - 27 gal
RO reservoir - 6 gal

Lights - AI Hydra 26 HD LED (3)
Skimmer - Octo 150 NT Classic
Powerhead - Gyre XF 350 Pump
Return pump - Vectra M2
Jager Submersible heater - Eheim 200W
Aqua Gadget - Chaeto Max 18W Refugium LED

My aquascape is ready (Marco dry rock) and using CaribSea Special grade sand. I will be filling the empty tank this weekend with tap water to test for leaks and make sure pumps and skimmers working. After that will start filling tank to start cycling. I will be making RODI with a BRS 6 Stage system and using TropMarine salt.

Questions:

1) My local expert says it will be Ok (for this initial fill) to fill with RODI and then slowly add salt in the sump until proper salinity level is reached. I have seen pros & cons on this board. I don't have my mixing station built yet, so for the initial fill this is what I am planning. Any adamant reasons not to do this?

2) What media do I put into the the 4 filter bags/socks in the sump while I cycle?

3) Should I put my lights on or keep off during the cycle period (once again I have arguments both ways).

4) What additives should I use to start cycle eg. Fritz Turbo? Dr. Timms One & Only? etc

5) I have a Hanna digital salinity tester. Other than this what basic tests/kits do I need to have?

6) At what point do I but Chaeto and start the refugium?

Anything else I should know before I start the cycling? I am watching as many BRS videos as I can - too much to digest! I have zero problem with taking this very slowly, once step at a time!

Thanks in advance - I will post pics from time to time as this evolves!

 

[TexAgReefer]

Howdy!

Looks like your off to an excellent start!! Looking forward to following along!

1) No issues doing it this way. Just finished doing this exact thing with my 235g

2) I would say nothing right now. I don’t see any harm in filter socks to filter out any junk from the sand/rock

3) I’ve don’t both. Had a lot more success leaving lights off for the first couple months. Not easy to do, but worth it for me.

4) Probably fine either way. I’m a big advocate of Dr Tim’s and is what I always go with.

5) For the cycle, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Once you get corals going, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, and phosphate probably most important

6) Let your cycle get going. Need some nutrients for your bacteria to feed on/multiply. Once you have fish and your nitrates start to rise, that’s a good time to add chaeto

Best of luck!! Enjoy the ride, take it slow, and keep an eye on things.

 

[Devaji]

nice tank! i am a big peninsula lover myself. have a Fiji 18.5 and just got the RS 650P.

1) I never heard of that way before but I like it. just dbl check that your plumping is good. most ppl like to test run with tap just in case there is a leak they dont wast 100+ gal of RODI
but looks like you did not mod the plumping any so you "should" be good. just have a plan if you need to take out the water maybe a cpl cheap 55 gal drums or something just encase??

2) I like poly fill better than socks but both do the job. when tank is up and running you will need to change out the sock every 3-5 days. filter floss you can just toss and its cheap. get the poly fill at craft stores. if you want more surface ares for bac. to grow on you can add some matrix or marine pure balls to the cups then floss on top. that is what i will be doing.

3) a say off helps keep the algae down.

4) i have used both Dr. tims and fritz turbo start 900 I will be using fritz 900 on my RS 650. along with pure ammonia to start the cycle off.

5) I 100% agree with above about the test kits. just know if you go with API there ammonia does not fall below .25

6) yeah wait until you have cycled and have a few fish in there.

have fun!

 

[Alchameth]

Questions:

1) I do it in the DT and add the sand after it's mixed

2) Nadda, just the socks

3) Depends on if you want longer with less chance of algae or faster and stay on top of cleaning the muck and doing water changes. I always go with lights as that's what it is going to be eventually, might as well get it over with.

4) Never used either of those, I'll be using MicroBacter7 on my WB 6025 personally but I also have live sand and some media blocks to help start off with too.

5) What they said

6) I usually wait till I start seeing algae growing in the tank

 

[Aggie1978]

Questions:

1) I do it in the DT and add the sand after it's mixed

2) Nadda, just the socks

3) Depends on if you want longer with less chance of algae or faster and stay on top of cleaning the muck and doing water changes. I always go with lights as that's what it is going to be eventually, might as well get it over with.

4) Never used either of those, I'll be using MicroBacter7 on my WB 6025 personally but I also have live sand and some media blocks to help start off with too.

5) What they said

6) I usually wait till I start seeing algae growing in the tank

Thanks for the input - it helps when I can start to get some consensus on feedback as opinions vary wildly on some topics. This is very helpful

 

[Aggie1978]

Thanks everyone. During cycling when (if ever) do I start running the protein skimmer? I assume this is not done until the tank finishing cycling and there is a bioload in the tank?

 

[Hydrored]

Thanks everyone. During cycling when (if ever) do I start running the protein skimmer? I assume this is not done until the tank finishing cycling and there is a bioload in the tank?

I find it does not matter, you will not start pulling dark skimate until there is a bio load

You would be surprised the crap it will pull from new rocks and sand and will give you an opportunity to mess with it

 

[Aggie1978]

Quick question - have a look at my overflow skimmer and plumbing. The center overflow pipe is the "main" (with a control valve in the cabinet above the sump for adjustments), the far right is a secondary overflow pipe - part of the Red Sea dual overflow water management system. My problem is that the center "main" pipe is about 1/4" higher/taller than the far right 2nd overflow. Is this right? Seems to me that they both should be the same height so they would begin draining at the same instant. Or am I missing something?

 

[Alchameth]

The main should be a little lower than the backup. In the event the main gets clogged the sump water doesn't flood into the DT and then your floors.