New tank - first fill logistics question

[phatduckk]

Hi everyone... new here and to the hobby. I've been doing as much research via YouTube and forums as I can to make sure I'm as prepared as I can be.

With that said - there's a "pro tip" I have yet to encounter. How do I fill up my new tank for the first time? Not the actual mechanics - but the logistics. I just don't think I'll be able to shut life off to make & fill 90 gallons of salt water all in one go... work, kids, wife, life etc...

Would it be OK to fill it little by little over the course of a week? Make a Brute can, fill it, then come back later a few days later for the 2nd half?

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

-arin

 

[link81]

sure, i don't see any problem with that whatsoever. In fact, as long as you're making up 1.025 saltwater, go ahead and add a small powerhead and heater and start your cycle.
No reason you can't start a cycle with only 4" of water or so. its enough to get the bacteria going.

 

[Billldg]

Having saltwater sitting around isn’t a big deal as a lot of us have storage bins that we hold saltwater in. So I don’t see any issue with filling it over the course of a week. That being said, if you are going to put live sand, for instance, CaribSea live sand, then you will want to add enough water to at least submerge it as it has to stay wet for the bacteria to survive. I filled mine over the course of a day as I wanted to turn on the pumps to circulate it and get the cycling process started. Congrats on getting your tank wet.

 

[phatduckk]

Thanks folks. I'm planning on buying a Brute can to do my mixing so I should get 25-40 gallons during my first phase. Should be plenty to cover the sand up...

I still don't have the tank... just ordered it last week; I'm just over-planning =)

 

[Cell]

I'd just mix it in the tank. Get it filled full with RODI first, then mix in the salt. Less work overall than mixing several small batches and all the measuring etc that goes with it.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

If it has an overlfow and sump, I would do a plumbing / leak test with tap water first.

 

[Sailingeric]

If you are mixing your salt water at predetermined density, say 1.025, and doing it over a course of week, make sure you do a final measurement as you will have some evaporation, my 75 gallon DT loses about a gallon day (give or take some).

 

[Hemmdog]

I'd just mix it in the tank. Get it filled full with RODI first, then mix in the salt. Less work overall than mixing several small batches and all the measuring etc that goes with it.

You can only do that on barebottoms.

 

[Hemmdog]

Thanks folks. I'm planning on buying a Brute can to do my mixing so I should get 25-40 gallons during my first phase. Should be plenty to cover the sand up...

I still don't have the tank... just ordered it last week; I'm just over-planning =)

I have 40 gals of 5g jugs if you want to borrow them to get set up, Get RODI or premade sw from the LFS, I’m in Silicon Valley, not to far from you.

 

[phatduckk]

I have 40 gals of 5g jugs if you want to borrow them to get set up, Get RODI or premade sw from the LFS, I’m in Silicon Valley, not to far from you.

Awesome. Thanks. I’ll definitely ping you if I don’t just mix in the tank as suggested above!

 

[phatduckk]

You can only do that on barebottoms.

Would it be a terrible idea to mix in tank and add the sand after that?

 

[Hemmdog]

Would it be a terrible idea to mix in tank and add the sand after that?

You could do that, it will be cloudy for awhile but yea. If you do sand first then mix salt it can turn your sandbed into sandstone (not literally but it hardens)

 

[phatduckk]

You could do that, it will be cloudy for awhile but yea. If you do sand first then mix salt it can turn your sandbed into sandstone (not literally but it hardens)

Ha. Ya. Would love to avoid that. Given how busy I am I could deal with a few days of cloudiness if it makes things way easier

 

[BeejReef]

Great question. This is a great time to set up your salt mixing and water filtration in general. As others have said, it's also an opportunity to get your cycle started. It's not just about filling your tank the first time. You'll want a system that lets you accomplish water changes without crazy effort.

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

its really no problem to fill over time. Do yourself a favor and get 2 or 3 brute cans and get the wheel attachments. When you end up with an RO unit you can have a fresh and salt and an extra empty for waste water when you do changes. Having the wheels makes everything a lot easier. Even if you just get 1 for now get the wheels.

 

[Hemmdog]

its really no problem to fill over time. Do yourself a favor and get 2 or 3 brute cans and get the wheel attachments. When you end up with an RO unit you can have a fresh and salt and an extra empty for waste water when you do changes. Having the wheels makes everything a lot easier. Even if you just get 1 for now get the wheels.

+1 get the wheels. I didn’t get the wheels, it’s exhausting, it does save money by not needing a gym membership though.

 

[phatduckk]

+1 get the wheels. I didn’t get the wheels, it’s exhausting, it does save money by not needing a gym membership though.

Oh I always planned on getting wheels. Seems crazy not too. I’d just rather not buy 3 cans when I’ll only need 1 in my normal routine (storage reasons)

 

[Hemmdog]

Oh I always planned on getting wheels. Seems crazy not too. I’d just rather not buy 3 cans when I’ll only need 1 in my normal routine (storage reasons)

I had an epiphany moment recently about that, they stack

 

[phatduckk]

I had an epiphany moment recently about that, they stack

Well, my goal was to keep one at least partially filled with RO water. Would be hard to lift that up to stack the 2nd underneath [emoji22]

 

[NPRW]

I have this same problem and the same idea as well mainly (same tank size too about lol)
One question, can I add my rock during the 2nd stage of filling and will it make much difference to the cycle?
My thinking is the cycle takes weeks anyway so I can spread the filling over a week?

Sorry for hijacking!