PLEASE Help new tank

[Reeflifebegins]

Ok so I had a company come install my new 14 gallon ALL IN ONE tank with live rock and sand. Can SOMEONE plz help me and give me tips cu he left without saying much to me unfortunately. So I had them drop 15 gallons of RODI water to “top off” in the cycling process. Should I only Top Off with only RODI water or should I mix salt in it first?

 

[spiraling]

the top off is for replacing evaporation. You want to do that with RODI only, no salt.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Oh man that was not very good of them and above post is correct

 

[Reeflifebegins]

ok thank you! I did want to ask as well. Do I just keep topping it off till the cycle is done in 3 to 4 weeks???. Also- when my tank reaches alll the proper levels it needs to be at. Should I order a type of salt and then add it too the RODI water to mix it up to put in?

 

[Steph1]

Was the tank filled with saltwater initially?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Yep just replace whatever evaporates with the rodi water (but I don't trust their water and recommend buying a jug of distilled water from the drug store). If you have any other questions let us know!

 

[Steph1]

Hi mate, no offence but if you have to ask such a fundamental question, you will need to montor this thread more closely, and respond more quikly

To explain: If you disolve 1 kilo of salt in a say. 20 gallon tank and leave it until ALL the water evaporates you will be left with a tank with 1 kilo of salt in the tank and no water.
salt does not evaporate . Only water does.
So if 1 litre of water evaporates you will replace it with 1 Litre of RDO water.

 

[Reeflifebegins]

Thank you guys so much! And yes steph1 they did add saltwater too it at first. You have too excuse me for not replying in your timely manner “mate”. I have a 2 month old baby girl I have to attend too.

 

[Reeflifebegins]

Thank you guys, you been a big help

 

[Steph1]

Sorry you missread my intension.
I thought there was a guy in trouble and did not know your situation. But was genuinly concerned for your tank and you.
What threw me I think was a 14 gallon tank and you having 15 gallons of RDO water
If you read your original post again you may see that if somebody who was a muppet (perhaps me) seeing a guy who has just had a new tank delivered by an unhelpfull person................I was visualising some person (you) having a tank with live rock empty with 15 gallons of RDO water in a tub beside it. I had my "urgent" head on

 

[RickLRMS]

Just a couple of YouTube playlist suggestions:
Budget reef tank setup
52 Weeks of Reefing
I am just a beginner but got a lot of info from them. Good luck.

 

[anthonygf]

Ok so I had a company come install my new 14 gallon ALL IN ONE tank with live rock and sand. Can SOMEONE plz help me and give me tips cu he left without saying much to me unfortunately. So I had them drop 15 gallons of RODI water to “top off” in the cycling process. Should I only Top Off with only RODI water or should I mix salt in it first?

Do you have any live stock yet? When I started my tank with live rock and sand, I put a few fish in the same day. My tank never went through the cycle process because of using live rock and sand which holds enough bacteria to prevent amonia spike. Test the water daily for all parameters to get an idea of what the elements do, to learn how they vary daily. It worked for me, may not work for you. Start with a couple of clowns if that is what you want.

 

[Agsellers04]

Only RODI but check your specific gravity every day while cycling to see if it is far outside the 1.024 - 1.026 Range. You can then add the appropriate amount of salt to the topoff water if the SG is low, remove some water from the tank and add pure topoff water, or add some buffering solution.

 

[Steph1]

BUy a refractometer and full reef test kit

 

[scabbedwings616]

Check your salinity before adding in rodi water. If you need to up your salinity it is ok to add saltwater already mixed into the tank. Just be careful with adding too much saltwater mix to the tank