Best way to fill & start a completely new setup?

I'm almost ready to start up my new tank/system. What's the best way to go about it? The tank and sump are completely empty. The tank had water in it out in the driveway but that's it. External Pan World pump has never been turned on. It's all one big virgin! :shock:

Do i fill the tank all the way until water starts going over the overflow? What about the sump?

Sorry for all the spastic questions recently. It's been to long and I didn't do the initial setup last time around.
I'm excited though. :^:

 

keep filling it up until the water level gets to a decent level in the sump, then turn the pump off and see how high the water goes so you know your max fill line, and then put in the sand and rock

 

But the pump instructions warn not to start it dry. So wouldn't i need to fill it first, then start the pump? Oh, and I know I said sump, but it's a CPR wet/dry filter if that makes a difference. Model CY192 to be exact.

 

I don't think Dustin is saying to run the pump dry. I understood that he said to fill the main tank, let it fill the sump, then start the pump. You will then have to add more water since some of it will be moved into the plumbing.

 

yeah if you fill up the tank and then keep filling it past it going through the overflows and down to the sump, is what i meant

 

ninjad:grumble:

 

LOL, ok that makes more sense.

So fill tank... let it overflow to sump... start pump... fill a little more.

I'm scared. :shock:

 

yeah.

 

Are you mixing the saltwater separately or in the tank? I'm just asking because once I get up the nerve I'll be getting around to starting my new system and I'm wondering the same thing.

 

i mix it all out of the tank in old salt buckets or clean never used 5 gallon buckets that i have just for the tank

 

You probably shouldn't listen to me but i just mixed it up in the tank because it's completely empty. If i had anything in there i'd mix it up outside in buckets.

 

thats fine also b ut you have to remember that when you put water in there you will have to take some water out before you add the sand or it will over flow.

 

Ya, that's true. I did it his way because I wasn't going to be adding sand all at one time, I wanted to get the cycling started asap, and i figured this would still be easier and more time efficient than mixing up a bunch of separate buckets even if it means removing some of the water later. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :mrgreen:

 

Hey its what i did and it worked out perfectly. I say fill that tank run it with the water and be glad you have a glass box with water! Dont be surprised if the water gets cloudy after a few day...something about calcium precerpitation or some mumble jumbo like that. But i got rock in there 2 days after it got cloudy and it cleared within hours.

 

If you add the salt first then the water you will probably get calcium precerpitation on you heater and possibly your pump. If you mix it in tank water then salt. I recommend mixing it outside of the tank.