Stage 1 complete

[Stuquarium]

i've decided to take it slow.. with seting up a marine tank. and tonight stage 1 was finsihed.

i layed out the substrate and filled the tank with salted water.. now i have a concern...
i mixed the salt in outside of the tank and added the salted to the tank.

i did 2 gals at a time adding de-chlorine agent and synthetic salt. (1/2 a cip per gal)

i got to the end and read the oackage. and it said that the package contained enough salt for 25gal. i have 35. so i know i'm gunna need more?

i've added a light and a heater. both are on. my question is... should i add the additional salt now? or wait till i have live rock (1-2 weeks) to add the salt?

this will complete stage 1! wooo!

 

[mjvincent]

I would add the salt now and get it circulating. Everything will be settled and ready to go for your live rock. In the mean time you could throw in a raw shrimp (or two) to get the cycle started.

 

[Stuquarium]

cool thanks!

 

[copi]

You need to test the salinity / specific gravity to know just exactly how much salt to add. Using the rough rule of 1/2 cup per gallon is not precise enough.

 

[Stuquarium]

yup understood.

i was going to get a salinity test and gravity test next week..

 

[Stuquarium]

for the record or just morbid curiousty heres a couple of pics of the tank after i added the substrate. water, salt and heater.

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hope the substrate is thick enough?

 

[JamesR]

It's thick enough. Some like a deep sandbed, but you don't need it. Tank looks great! Agree, definately add the salt now and get the SG right. Also add the shrimp to start the cycle. LR is the best part, fun to aquascape and make the tank come alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim

 

[Stuquarium]

thanks mate!

how much is a saltinity tester? and a gravity tester? on average?