Up and Coming 75gal Reef

[runningrandy04]

would it look like that 18 hours after mixing? sorry, first time mixing so i was really scared that it was a bacteria bloom. didn't wanna wait a week before i could put my rock in. also, when is a good time to put in the washed dry sand and the live rock?

[dustin_P74]

once you have it filled up the sooner you put in the sand and rock the sooner your cycle can begin

[runningrandy04]

its pretty much filled up now, i was wondering along the lines of "will the salt mixing hurt it?"

[dustin_P74]

no...

[Bifferwine]

It could only be a bacterial bloom if there was something rotting/dying in it. So if all there is in your tank is water, then it's just salt. It won't hurt to add your rocks while it's cloudy. Just make sure the salinity is right first.

Certain brands seem to stay cloudier than others, and even within a brand, different batches of a brand will mix differently.

[runningrandy04]

thanks guys, well i'm off to add sand and rock. i would get you some picks of the rock when i'm done but i doubt you would be able to see it. heck, i can't even see it.

[d.french]

if you get heaters for your tank get a heater controller since most heaters aren't real accurate. Most people end up cooking tank cause heaters fail so heater controller is a must and there not real expensive at all. Glad this tank didn't have a crack like last one did cause that traffic back to st. louis last night was horrible. Once your ready i send some freebie frags your way randy.

[reeffreak]

Did you add the salt before the water?
To much salt and too little water will sometimes cause the calcium to precipitate,causing the white coating you mentioned.Some salt mixes are notorious for this regardless on how you mixed it.If it doesn't clear soon,I recommend starting over.

Fill the tank with water than add some salt,mix fairly well,then add more salt.

[runningrandy04]

Nope, I mixed it in pretty slowly. Put in 2 cups and stirred for about 5 min. Repeated that until my reading was up to 1.025. I do have the seachem reef salt though. It cleared up pretty nice, but I just took a calcium reading of 500. I'm guessing that's why it covered everything white.

[runningrandy04]

Yea....I'm glad this tank was in good condition. I don't think I could mentally take another week of waiting. Yea, I plan on getting a ranco after my tank has cycled but that'll be a while. Can't wait for those frags though!!

Here's a pick of my rock all set up. The left side is open for the rock coming from my old tank.