what are the proper steps

[tomisidori]

I Have a 150 gallon Reef ready Tank, I have been doing a lot of reading on this web site and have found a lot of diffrent ways to get the tank Ready to start its frist Cycle. My Question is, what are the Proper and Best Way to Fill The Tank, Add sand and Base Rock. I have read Fill 1/2 way with water, Dump sand in let it rest for 3 to 4 day add only base rock, Wait for the cycle and then do my rock Scape then wait a week to add the clean up crew. Wait 60 days then add Live stock and Coarls. I just want to hear what has worked with you Guys. Is a 180 lbs of Fugi Rock and 150 pounds of sand Enuf.
Thanks

[july865]

IMO. your sand storm you get when add water will mean very little compared to the rest. but if need be, partialy fill with SW. with bag of sand in hand submerge in water and pour. spred out sand and your done.
now for the important part. i went with TBS. it is the best way i have seen yet(personaly speaking). there are other means and opinions. you will cycle faster. but that doenst mean much. i am over 2.5mo's into it and still have no fish. lol. doesnt bother me any. there are tons of live in the tank and still find new things all the time.
good luck, and BE PATIENT......resist the fish

[Maxxumless]

This is the way I have done it (probably more than a hundred times in the past 10 years) and it has always worked for me.

Day One
Test equipment for leaks and operability
Setup tank in its permanent home
Start filling water (start making RO a few days ahead of time & fill containers)
When tank is full add salt (pretty much already know how much to add)
Put in some powerful pumps to dissolve salt rapidly
If there is a sump fill that too

Day Two
Test salinity
If all OK then get a HOT filter ready (use only filter floss)
If there is a sump with media area then fill with floss (all my sumps have media area)
Wash substrate until water no longer looks milky and frothy
Take appropriate amount of saltwater out of tank to compensate for sand (do not throw away)
Clean off bubbles from glass and all innards
Pour sand in and start HOT filter

Day Four
Water should be crystal clear
Remove HOT filter and floss from sump toss in carbon filtration
Siphon substrate and toss water out as well as clean glass (us water removed from sand addition; should not be much)
Check pH and salinity and turn on heater(s)
Put skimmer and other filtration devices and turn them on
Siphon out 20-25% of water (keep in bucket with PH)
Add cured or uncured LR
No lights for one week

Day Twelve
Check Ammonia (do a 20-25% water change with water from day four)
Clean glass, etc…
Turn on lights (4-6 hours a day)

Wait, watch and pray (you do not have undesirable hitchhikers)

Variable time span
The first thing you should notice is diatoms; a mass of them usually as brown powdery substance on substrate. It might look like it is getting out of hand, but just let it be. It will eventually settle down. Air bubbles might start becoming evident as well all over glass, LR and trapped in pockets on the sand. No worries, perfectly normal. Eventually it will turn translucent and this is when you should do another small water change.

Check ammonia every couple of days. It may or may not recede. Just be patient, it will go down eventually. You should change out carbon every week and clean out sponges and filter socks every other day.

When Ammonia is at zero test for phosphate and nitrites; nitrites should be on the rise. If you detect phosphates then replace carbon with PhosBan until it reads zero (undetectable). Test nitrites every other day until it reads zero. Do not bother testing for nitrates because levels of nitrites will elevate (false positives) nitrate tests. Once nitrites are at zero you should be ready to add your first animals (reef janitors only).

Using this method you may never see any levels of nitrates which are perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to add a few cups of sand from friends aquariums or from the sludge at the bottom of a LR holding tank at LFS.

If there is noticeable hair algae then cut back on photoperiod. Do a 20-25% water change before adding animals. Keep a few gallons on hand for the next few weeks as you will need to replenish water from animals additions. This extra mixed water should be kept aerated and moving.

If you get a package (cleaners) go with one that is half the size recommended. Also get one nassarius per twenty gallons (for now). Stay away from stars and cucumbers for now as well. No Queen or Fighting conches either.

Wait a week or two until cleaners have your algae under control. If they do not then you have a nutrient problem most likely. If that is so then replace all media, do another water change and wait a week. If problem persists keep doing the water changes and cleaning any sponges (or just remove them) and cleaning filter socks until you find the culprit that is raising nutrients. Aggressive algae growth is a sign something is wrong.

When algae is under control add your first fish.

[Quincy2374]

Maxxumless- great instructions!

Why the smaller clean up crew? And why only 1 nassarius per 20 gallons?

[Maxxumless]

If all done properly and with a good maintenance schedule algae, detritus and diatoms should all be kept in check. I feel that if you require a large crew you have a nutrient problem that needs to be taken care of. Additionally, in the beginning people loose a lot of their reef janitors because there is not enough food for a large number – therefore, get them as you need them. Just don’t rush it. Using this method has proven (for me) to be an effective startup method that minimizes on waist and elevates your chances of success. Oh, and I forgot to mention one key thing. When adding the LR go ahead and put a sponge filter w/ air pump into the sump so when it finish cycling you have it ready for a QT tank (using water to fill QT tank from water from the last water change).

There are many small things I missed, but people here on RC will fill in the blanks :)

[tomisidori]

Maxxumless,
That is what I was looking for Thank you for taking the time for me, I really am thankful

[Maxxumless]

No problem, thats why we are here... to learn and to help :)