Stuck on step one of set up

[lisaluwho]

Ok, so I posted awhile ago about buying a used tank. Found a great deal on a 180 gal tank that includes everything I need. More to come on that later, I'm sure...
I won't go into the ordeal of getting this massive tank to my house (picture a small 5'2" woman driving a truck with a trailer that I had to buy from the tank seller bc equipment didn't fit in my truck, vehicle breakdowns, trailer lights out, driving across the state of Florida)...anyway, it was a really good deal, but...I got home like 7 hours after I was supposed to. By then it's middle of the night and my help for installing the RO system (as well as moving the tank inside, setup, etc) is now gone out of town. So I have buckets of live rock (still alive?!) sitting in my house. And I just hired a bunch of guys to help me move it in. But I have no idea where to even start with the RO system to get water.
So, I'm stuck on the very first, most basic issue of how to get water for this tank so I can keep all the rock/bacteria/ etc. alive. I've called my local stores and I can bring 5 gal pails to pickup water. That's a lot of pails! I've called maintenance companies and they'll "call me back".
So first question - is it worth stressing about keeping it all alive or just let it die and start fresh? Is it already too late? We're currently at about 18 hours of the rock in buckets with some water around them but not covered completely (staying damp tho). Sand is in buckets with some water in it.
If I'm going to do this asap, any ideas for getting water? I'm working on trying to figure out the RO system to start making water. I'm attaching a pic of the RO system. I've looked up online but it seems like many of them have a holding tank? This is all the seller had but it was hooked up when I arrived - I just didn't see him take it apart as I was carrying tank pieces.

 

[BeejReef]

If your plan was to keep the rock alive, I'd keep it in the buckets it is in. Likely will survive days or weeks. That's a whole different topic, but it's hard to "kill" live rock.

RODI installation..... I'd just ask for help. You've already shown your determination and can-do attitude with your multi-state tank aquisition. You have nothing left to prove

You want your rodi installed somewhere without huge temp fluctuations. Basement is ideal assuming you'll be making and storing a fair bit of saltwater on a tank that size. Wherever, it's probably gonna be semi-permanent. Even with just fair water pressure, you can push good filtered water a LONG way from the unit for the few days it will take to fill the tank.... like from a basement to a third floor, or a hundred or so feed on level ground. So, I'd get in installed where you want it forever and just live with the blue tube running through the house for a week.

In a basement, crawl space, or even utility room, you're most likely going to want to cut a water supply line of some sort and install an adapter that gets you down to rodi line size. Finding a plastic pipe (cpvc or pex) is much, much easier than fiddling with copper.

If you're really feeling it and want to have a go at it yourself, take a picture of the candidate pipe you find (including the dimensions), and put your rodi in a box and take it to ACE hardware... not one of the big box places where you have to hunt for a teenager who works in paint to answer your question. They'll hand you the parts you need, the primer, the glue, reducing fitting, ball valve. Also need a small cutting tool.

I'd beg for help from a handy local reefer or hire a plumber. It's a small, easy job. You'll pay the $150 to say hello fee. Shouldn't be any more than another $75 on top.

 

[WVNed]

Take note the order of your canisters is the opposite from this picture. The deionizing one is the black one

I think the flush valve is on the white tube in your pic and the blue leaves the DI canister so that would be output so black must be water in.

If you have decent tap water I would de chlorinate it and make some salt water and cover the stuff to buy some time.

 

[WVNed]

https://blog.marinedepot.com/educat...everse-osmosis-deionization-rodi-system-works

 

[HOOPDEEZ]

If you’re worried about die off you could add an air stone to each bucket or a powerhead to circulate. Then your race against the clock ends. The RO unit has a connection for the supply, and one for the waste, then an output for purified water. You will need a large container to collect the water and mix your salt. Lots of people use brute trash cans to collect and mix. You could search the forum for saltwater mixing stations to help with future plans. You will want to be able to make 50+ gallons at a time for such a large tank, and being able to pump it where you need it is a real plus. I would clean the sand and rocks as best you can with the old saltwater before discarding. You will need to circulate the water really well and prepare for the tank to stabilize well after setup as there will be lots of NO3 and PO4 brought in with the old rock and sand! Good luck

 

[clowny]

Ok, so I posted awhile ago about buying a used tank. Found a great deal on a 180 gal tank that includes everything I need. More to come on that later, I'm sure...
I won't go into the ordeal of getting this massive tank to my house (picture a small 5'2" woman driving a truck with a trailer that I had to buy from the tank seller bc equipment didn't fit in my truck, vehicle breakdowns, trailer lights out, driving across the state of Florida)...anyway, it was a really good deal, but...I got home like 7 hours after I was supposed to. By then it's middle of the night and my help for installing the RO system (as well as moving the tank inside, setup, etc) is now gone out of town. So I have buckets of live rock (still alive?!) sitting in my house. And I just hired a bunch of guys to help me move it in. But I have no idea where to even start with the RO system to get water.
So, I'm stuck on the very first, most basic issue of how to get water for this tank so I can keep all the rock/bacteria/ etc. alive. I've called my local stores and I can bring 5 gal pails to pickup water. That's a lot of pails! I've called maintenance companies and they'll "call me back".
So first question - is it worth stressing about keeping it all alive or just let it die and start fresh? Is it already too late? We're currently at about 18 hours of the rock in buckets with some water around them but not covered completely (staying damp tho). Sand is in buckets with some water in it.
If I'm going to do this asap, any ideas for getting water? I'm working on trying to figure out the RO system to start making water. I'm attaching a pic of the RO system. I've looked up online but it seems like many of them have a holding tank? This is all the seller had but it was hooked up when I arrived - I just didn't see him take it apart as I was carrying tank pieces.

I Definetly wouldnt worry about the rock, although im not a expert reefer your main hassle is going to be filling the tank. I dont know if you have a plan yet. I have seen that a lot of people just buy premade saltwater from their LFS. In florida some stores have trucks with 500+ gallons on it and come to you and fill it up. Just an option I wish you luck!

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

When in FL are you? We might be able to help you find someone to help with the whole process.

Being in FL, we don't find a lot of homes with a basement, but I do agree with the recommendation of keeping it somewhere with a steady temperature. Maybe your laundry room? This would be really simple if your laundry room has a work sink. Just hook the black line up to the faucet (if there isn't already an adapter, take a 2" or so piece of the line with you to Lowe's/Home Depot and I'm sure they will have one), the white line is the "waste" water (really good for watering plants, dog water, freshwater tanks) which will just go back down the drain, and the blue line will be your fully filtered water for topping off or adding salt and mixing up water.

 

[Super Fly]

wow, very impressed with your tenacity!
That looks like a BRS 4-stage RODI like the one I have. Here are the instructions how to install... hope the seller gave you plenty/all the tubing

https://s3.amazonaws.com/brsinstructions/brsRODI/4-Stage-RODI-Instructions-2018.pdf

 

[lisaluwho]

You guys are amazing, thank you! I think after a super long crazy day yesterday and all of my careful planning down the drain (ha, get it?!) I woke up in a panic and didn't really stop to think and assess. I just visited our local reef store and talked with the owner about where I'm at. I got a fitting so that until I get the RO system plumbed I can actually attach the connector to my faucet.

However, he recommended that I initially fill the tank with tap water that has been treated with a dechlor/conditioner (the same one I use for my Koi pond actually) and obviously salted. I have a refractometer and Instant Ocean. He suggested this because of how long it would take to fill with the RO system (several days). He said give that a day and then put my rock in tomorrow (covering the rock with the water meanwhile).

Does this sound right for an initial plan? Along with the tank, I have 2 clown fish and a blue tang that are currently sitting in a small tank with the old water and a bubbler. So they would go in tomorrow too. I got an initial beneficial bacteria booster to put in tomorrow and then I can start working on the RO system and I'm sure ask you all a million more questions...

(providing I actually get it plumbed back in correctly!)

 

[lisaluwho]

wow, very impressed with your tenacity!
That looks like a BRS 4-stage RODI like the one I have. Here are the instructions how to install... hope the seller gave you plenty/all the tubing

https://s3.amazonaws.com/brsinstructions/brsRODI/4-Stage-RODI-Instructions-2018.pdf

This looks like it and is perfect, thank you! I didn't even know what search term to use to find it!

 

[WVNed]

That is exactly what I would do.

 

[WVNed]

Get the heaters in the water as soon as possible. It takes longer to get large quantities of water up to temp than anything else.
I guess your tap water doesn't come out at 50 degrees like here though.

 

[BeejReef]

Sounds like a plan. Tap water is scary, but if it's just fish and not corals...

The fish are going through a lot of stress with all the moving and transferring. Be sure to give them a thorough acclimation to the display tank. I'd also spoil the h e double hockey sticks out of them with some real tasty treats... maybe black worms and live algae or nori for the tangs.

Congrats on the new tank!

Edit... This is what I was trying to explain re a permanent install near your salt mix area.