Getting Started

OK! I'm getting ready to start finally after I have all of my equipment! ;D;D;D
What should I do first. I'm going to go and get my water from the culligan machine at HyVee because it says that it's RO/DI water as well as treated with a UV sterilizer. Then I'm going to add my salt mix and get it where it needs to be.
What do I do next? Do I get my refugium up and going before adding the live rock or vice versa? Or both at the same time?

 

It doesn't really matter. Just get everything plumbed up first, fill it with tap water to check for leaks and make sure all the equipment, pumps, etc work good. then drain it, add in your LR, then sand, then RODI water, then salt. Use a strong pump or powerhead to mix the salt in to where you want it 1.025 or whatever.

 

So I add the the water and salt mix last?

 

Yes add it last.... if you have all the rock and sand put the rock in first.... so you rock is sitting on the bare glass bottom of your tank... once it's stable dump your sand in, and it will renforse your rock so it will not crash on you...

Once that is done you can add your salt water mix in .... What i have done to limit the size of sand storm in your tank when adding water is to cover your sand bed with good ole fashion plastic wrap hold it down with small rocks.. and dump your water on it... that will help from getting a major sand storm along with sand displacement.. Dont get me worng you will still get one... but not as bad as a straight dump in ....


BEst of luck.....