Concerns,Questions,help the beginner!

[dynozone84]

Ok first im going to give you guys a run-down of my new FOWLR setup:
58 Gallon Glass tank
35 watt florescant hood
4-5"DSB
2 Maxi-jet 1200 Powerheads
2 Ebo-jager 100watt heaters
Aqua C Remora Powered by maxijet 1200
Fluval 304
Seafaret Test kits


Ok...........first question,i put the sand in,filled it up with water and had milk for 2 straight days,i drained it,refilled it and it did the same thing again,this and my mothers insecurity(dsb is unknown to all local fish stores)led me to buying the fluval,is this sand ever going to clear?i am running everything right now,filter,skimmer,phs,heaters.my temp is 78 and the water is still milk,i searched and found the method to put like fabric cotton stuff in the filter tray and did.ill leave it for tonight and see in the morning,now i realize that it may take awhile so ill be pateint,but what should i have running

second,my skimmer is making no foam,i mean is it really this simple-just stick the powerhead in the rubber tube and turn it on(ph in water)?is that all i do?it says itll take awhile to start skimming,is it ok if i leave it on now to elt it break in before i have to cycle with live rock

also i used a chemical to get rid of the chlorine that the lfs recomended,our tap water is pretty harsh anyway.

ok so right now i just want to get the water cleared up so i can add the salt and get it going so i can get the live rock within the next few weeks, i plan on adding 45 now(a box) and getting like 10 expensive lbs later. sm i doing everything i should be?lmk,thanks

p.s. ive read the consciencous marine aquarist also so i have a pretty good idea so far

[asmujica]

Here goes.

Don't change the water again. It will eventually settle down.

You should have premixed the saltwater.

If you are going for a reef you are gona have some mayor headaches if you are going to plan to use tap water. Get an ro/di unit.

The skimmer is not skimming anything because there is nothing to skim. Give it some time, remoras have a break in period too.

Have you looked at mail ordering the live rock? It is sometimes cheaper.

Fluval is not necessary.... Unless you bought it to run some carbon from time to time :rolleyes:

Add the salt to the tank now. Put it in a plastic jug and then introduce the entire jug to the tank. Then slowly mix the salt in the jug.

Wait 2 hours. Then repeat untill you have a specific gravity of 1.024 since I asume you have a plastic hydrometer.

After you add the salt. Add the rock, this will help settle down the sand. After it has settled, just blow the sand off from the rocks.

[dynozone84]

yeah i decided a long time ago that i didnt wanna go reef,and yes i wanted a filter to run carbon but didnt want anything hanging on the tank,hence the addition of the fluval,plus id rather have it"just in case".i didnt premix the salt water because in the book it said it was ok to do it in the aquarium for the first time,and i was looking at harbor aquatics of gulfview for rock,im def. going mail order.alright its still all milky,ill had the salt today,will the sand affect the hydrometer readings?

[MJB]

You can mix the salt in the tank before adding LR, LS, livestock etc. something I'm sure you prob. already know. Secondly, the skimmer is not going to skim until use raise the SG. Skimmers do not work very well if at all in FW and as the previous poster stated there's really nothing to skim until you add something that produces some organic waste like LR. Also agree that RO/DI water would be best for algae control. Might try adding some mechanical filter in the Fluval temporarily to filter out the sand.Good Luck--MJB

[Toutouche]

Some advice and I'm not trying to be sarcastic is do a lot of reading before you continue. It seems like you are jumping the gun a bit. If you don't learn a bit more before you start adding other things, you are going to have major headaches and might get fed up, and quit. Be patient and start learning from using the search feature here on all topics about getting started. It will also save you from making lots of expensive mistakes.

[Acolin]

take it easy, let your dealer walk you through it, add the live rock, measure the levels, let the tank cycle for a few weeks, add your sandbed sifters, let them get established first for a few more weeks, run your lights in the evening for only six hours, beginning before your bed time, then start adding your small, doesn't gow too large, FO at a rate of about one per month, making sure that you add a fish that your nitrogen levels are low ...