Terrier
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I'm planning on starting up my tank in the next few weeks. It will be a FOWLR for a while until I am a little more experienced, then I hope to get into some of the easier corals. I have a 65 gallon corner-overflow with a 20G tall sump underneath in the stand.
Could anyone give me advice on the best way to get my tank going? Like what you were glad you did, or wish you hadn't done? I'm a planner to a fault, but I want to do it right! :?
The way I see it,
1. Add some base rock/lr/etc. right on the tank bottom so the entire structure is sturdy.
2. Add sand [or other substrate] and fill in around the rock.
3. Add water (up to tank 3/4 full, allowing extra volume for lr). I am springing for pre-mixed RO water from a LFS. Water will be poured onto a plate, garbage bag, etc. sitting on sand to minimize disturbance to sand.
4. Add heater and get water temp up to 77-78 before adding lr (if I don't do this, could adding rock to room temperature water be bad?)
5. Add lr, turn on pump/powerjets, let cycle.
I know this seems really basic, but am I missing anything? What if the water is cloudy and white after adding the water ... should I let that completely settle (days... weeks?) before adding the live rock so the rock doesn't get smothered? Also not start the circulation system, so that the suspended sand doesn't end up in the pumps?
Any info would be appreciated!
Terrier
Could anyone give me advice on the best way to get my tank going? Like what you were glad you did, or wish you hadn't done? I'm a planner to a fault, but I want to do it right! :?
The way I see it,
1. Add some base rock/lr/etc. right on the tank bottom so the entire structure is sturdy.
2. Add sand [or other substrate] and fill in around the rock.
3. Add water (up to tank 3/4 full, allowing extra volume for lr). I am springing for pre-mixed RO water from a LFS. Water will be poured onto a plate, garbage bag, etc. sitting on sand to minimize disturbance to sand.
4. Add heater and get water temp up to 77-78 before adding lr (if I don't do this, could adding rock to room temperature water be bad?)
5. Add lr, turn on pump/powerjets, let cycle.
I know this seems really basic, but am I missing anything? What if the water is cloudy and white after adding the water ... should I let that completely settle (days... weeks?) before adding the live rock so the rock doesn't get smothered? Also not start the circulation system, so that the suspended sand doesn't end up in the pumps?
Any info would be appreciated!
Terrier