Finally Gonna go Saltwater - 29 Gallon build

[spoonman]

Got my T-valve from purewaterclub.com today. What great service! Also, blew the radiator in my car. Will set back the tank a little. Worth waiting for, though.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Hey Tim! How's the tank coming along? Any new updates? Like I said early on in this thread, you were motivating me. I finally took the plunge and started stockpiling equipment for mine.

 

[spoonman]

Blew the radiator on my car and had to spend $360 to get that fixed. Probably gone set back the build until after Christmas. I am pretty busy at work and have some special things planned around Christmas (taking the kids to Arizona to do the "Polar Express" trip). It kills me cuz I'm so close but just isn't working out. All in good time though. Not in a huge rush. Maybe you will have yours up before me!

 

[spoonman]

When you guys hooked up your RODI unit, how long did it run before you have usable water? Got mine hooked up and running, just wondering when the water is usable.

 

[carey]

I believe I flushed about 5-8 gallons to be sure.

 

[spoonman]

So, 50 gallons per day divided by 24 hrs equals 2 gallons an hour. So, I will let it run about 3 hours and call it good. I think I will make the water tomorrow and mix the salt and be able to go to the LFS and get the live rock and set up the tank and start cycling Saturday or Sunday. Again, thanks for all your help carey.

 

[kurtyboh]

most i think say flush 3 gal. but a couple gal extra certainly wont hurt

 

[carey]

I about 5 gallons an hour and about 6 hours to fill my 30g trash can.

 

[spoonman]

Got about 3 inches of PFS in.




Got my base rock in and saltwater mixing now.





This is with blues and whites on. Tomorrow will be a trip to the LFS for live rock and possibly the bacteria starter kit. Have the Fluval 405 set up with 2 trays of ceramic rings and 2 trays of floss. I can run the filter during the cycle right?

 

[kurtyboh]

Certainly can, although if you have a sandstorm after adding sand and sw i wouldnt run anything till it clears.

 

[iadubber]

I wouldn't put anything in the fluval. The rock is your filtration. The fluval will work great if you ever need to run carbon though. With floss and bio rings in there you could have a nitrate factory on your hands.

 

[spoonman]

Just got 15lbs of live rock from my LFS. It's in the tank with my first 20 gallons of SW. Making the rest of the water now. We are on our way. Should I run the lights during the cycle? And the power heads?

 

[mfdrookie516]

Powerheads yes. Lights no... at least not reguarly. I couldn't help but turn mine on some though. Any cool critters appear yet? Any pics?

 

[spoonman]

Here is one so far. Don't see any critters in the 5 minutes that it has been in there.....lol.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Lookin good. Within an hour of putting some LR in to seed mine, I had discovered several critters... a brittle star, some asterina stars, and several feather dusters that I didn't realize were there. Lots of cool stuff.

 

[spoonman]

I hope I get some. I can see several spots of some pinkish coraline on the rocks though. I mostly just want to get the thing cycled so I can get some fish in there. I am so excited now, like a little kid. I don't know why I waited so long to start a sw tank.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have said the same thing a hundred times in the last month. It's so much fun, but it's almost overwhelming with all of the things that are so much different than FW. Luckily, we have plenty of people here that are more than willing to chime in when we need help Have fun cycling... it's absolutely the most ridiculously boring, tormenting time you'll go through.

 

[spoonman]

Got the rest of the saltwater in and the power heads going. Lots a flow from the 2 koralia 550's. This is with the blues on.

 

[Ibrahim]

Got the rest of the saltwater in and the power heads going. Lots a flow from the 2 koralia 550's. This is with the blues on.

It looks SUPER!!!! I really regret buying my 2 bulb fixture when a 4 bulb was $10 more!! GRR

 

[joy13]

That is really looking good. I wished I could get my rock work to look that good.