Ok.. Tell me if I'm ready to go here...

[XXFirefighter]

empty 55 gallon tank...
2 Maxi jet powerheads
1 emperor 400 with bio wheels removed AND "floss" filters removed... Charcoal in the grey boxes for water polishing
1 200 watt Ebo Jager heater
45 gallons of "salted" water @ 79 degrees

Am I ready to accept the shipment of the 55 pounds of live sand and the 100 pounds of live rock all from liverocks.com?

My plan is to drop the sand in place my rock...little higher in the rear..
Place the rock in all pretty like, I got a extra powerhead to pump the salt water in through a hose to the tank...

wait a day then go to my buddys house to pick up the 4 Chromis and drop em in the tank... I know how to bag drop and then slow drip... I wasn't gonna "drop" them in the tank

In 2 weeks A Aqua C Remora skimmer will be added...

Think I should keep the bio wheels on till then? My though was by the time the wheels actually get to "work" My skimmer was gonna be here...

Wait a few weeks monitor the levels and when all is happy add the rest of the fish...

Sound good?

 

[jackdp]

You can add the LR and LS anytime. I wouldn't get the chromis though. If the LR is uncured then the LR will cycle the tank and save the fish from the stress. I would leave the biowheels out, they will just slow the cycle and could cause another mini cycle when you remove them down the road. Read this article on cycling without live fish for some good info..

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

 

[scuba_steve]

if ya have the patients your better to hold off on any fish for at least a month more is better !! if not the fish will eat what ever pods before they can grow and breed enough !! unless your using a fuge then that diff if ya add pods to it

 

[alrmc4]

agree with jackdp wait on the fish and if the rock is not cured yet you may want that skimmer right away...lor

 

[Brisc0]

My plan is to drop the sand in place my rock...little higher in the rear..

I would put the rock in first and then the sand. You need a solid foundation for your rock so that as the sand degrades it does not cause a loss of integrity to your aquascape. Without a solid base, either the rock on glass or baserock on glass and then the sand you are doomed for collapse from day one, the question is how many years it will take for it to happen. Aside from that and not adding the chromis for about 4 - 8 weeks your looking good to get started. Another good trick when placing your rock is to cut yourself a 2.5" piece of PVC pipe and make sure you can fit it between the glass and the rock as your place the rocks. This will give you enough open space to ensure water is moving behind the rocks and so that you can clean the back of the tank with a scraper. Oh yea and leave the lights out until the cycle is complete. Best of luck! Keep us posted!

 

[XXFirefighter]

You can add the LR and LS anytime. I wouldn't get the chromis though. If the LR is uncured then the LR will cycle the tank and save the fish from the stress. I would leave the biowheels out, they will just slow the cycle and could cause another mini cycle when you remove them down the road. Read this article on cycling without live fish for some good info..

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

The rock will be cured from liverocks.com...
I thought I could cycle a tank with fish..?

 

[Brisc0]

I thought I could cycle a tank with fish..?

You can cycle a tank with fish, however its not the most friendly way to treat a fish. The nitrite levels that will come during cycling will burn their gills, along with many other unpleasent things. The article above is very informative. I didn't cycle either of my tanks with fish or the shrimp route. I bought cured LR, however the shipping process generates enough die off to pretty much require another curing process of 2 - 6 weeks which in turn cycles the tank.

55 pounds of live sand and the 100 pounds of live rock

That much sand and rock in the dark for 2-4 weeks will give you a good cycle and not require harming any fish in the process. Just think of it this way. Cycle with fish, stress then and promote disease which mean they have to be QTed for 2 -4 weeks and you can't add other fish, or just wait the 2-4 weeks up front and add fish into a clean environment. Im in my 12th week of my new 105 and only have one fish in my qt waiting to go in LoL. The more patience you can muster in the first couple of months the bigger payout as far as the big picture IMO. Good luck and best wishes on your new tank!

 

[XXFirefighter]

I thought I could cycle a tank with fish..?

You can cycle a tank with fish, however its not the most friendly way to treat a fish. The nitrite levels that will come during cycling will burn their gills, along with many other unpleasent things. The article above is very informative. I didn't cycle either of my tanks with fish or the shrimp route. I bought cured LR, however the shipping process generates enough die off to pretty much require another curing process of 2 - 6 weeks which in turn cycles the tank.

55 pounds of live sand and the 100 pounds of live rock

That much sand and rock in the dark for 2-4 weeks will give you a good cycle and not require harming any fish in the process. Just think of it this way. Cycle with fish, stress then and promote disease which mean they have to be QTed for 2 -4 weeks and you can't add other fish, or just wait the 2-4 weeks up front and add fish into a clean environment. Im in my 12th week of my new 105 and only have one fish in my qt waiting to go in LoL. The more patience you can muster in the first couple of months the bigger payout as far as the big picture IMO. Good luck and best wishes on your new tank!

Thanks !
I think I'll go the same route as you did...
The tank is in the living room and the smell of the rotting chrimp won't be too pleasent...

Did you have to scrub your rock after the first die off or did you just let it go and let it cycle?

 

[Brisc0]

I did a pre-entry rinse on all my liverock as well as a thorough inspection for any signs of undesirables. I started the process with 4 large trashbags spread out in front of the tank and laid all the rock on them so I could see what I was working with, then I basically took two 5 gallon buckets and had 20 gallons of premixed saltwater on hand. Filled one bucket 1/2 way up with saltwater, held the rock over and empty bucket and rinsed the rock with running saltwater. After I did this I dunked it roughly into the 5 gallon with water and rinsed again. This was mainly to remove dirt and not 100% necessary. Once that was done I added the rock accordingly. If you follow a similar procedure make sure and give the "dunk bucket" and rinse bucket a good look to make sure that nothing you want to keep came off the rock.

 

[XXFirefighter]

I did a pre-entry rinse on all my liverock as well as a thorough inspection for any signs of undesirables. I started the process with 4 large trashbags spread out in front of the tank and laid all the rock on them so I could see what I was working with, then I basically took two 5 gallon buckets and had 20 gallons of premixed saltwater on hand. Filled one bucket 1/2 way up with saltwater, held the rock over and empty bucket and rinsed the rock with running saltwater. After I did this I dunked it roughly into the 5 gallon with water and rinsed again. This was mainly to remove dirt and not 100% necessary. Once that was done I added the rock accordingly. If you follow a similar procedure make sure and give the "dunk bucket" and rinse bucket a good look to make sure that nothing you want to keep came off the rock.

Sounds like a plan to me !
Thanks alot !
I am gonna do the exact same !

 

[Brad]

If this is your first time, I think you are doing really well!

I would bet that the addition of this LR alone will be enough to get a good cycle in your tank. As good as liverocks.com is, there is bound to be enough ammonia produced especially in a brand new tank. I don't think you need any fish to start the cycle.

I think that the old "cycle with a fish" must come from the days when the new aquarium was absolutely clean (dead). Back then, there was simply nothing in the tank living to produce any waste material. LR is a very different situation.

 

[XXFirefighter]

cool thanks Brad !