# Help again



## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Do I just add my live sand and dry and live rock in my tank and let it grow from there. Oh and do you just pile it up or do you glue the dry rock together. I hope these questions are not stupid but I do not trust anyone but you guys.


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## adrenaline (Jan 17, 2011)

Is this a new tank set up or an existing one?

Either way you don't have to glue rock together. As far as live sand goes, i would still rinse it. Being the doofus i was i added it to my tank like the package said, then used their "clarifying" crap, and it took days to settle. it's really dusty stuff. Luckily my tank was new then too and didn't make much of a difference. 

The only problem i have is to this day when i do water changes tons of crap stillg ets pulled out with the siphon. 

Always rinse substrate IMO. But i'm not the most experience person for marine. my tanks coming up on 9 months. (my liverock covers a good portion of the base, so i try to get below it to siphon out the areas i couldn't reach initially).

If it's a new tank, rinse the sand and dry rock, add it to your tank, add your water and liverock, and it will take a good amount of time to fully cycle.

Hopefully someone else give you some more info as well. Most of the marine guys on here, aside from me, seem like they've been in it for a long time.

If it were cichlids and freshwater, that's where i'm good lol.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Don't rinse live sand IMO.

IMO: 1) put eggcrate on the bottom of your empty tank, with at least a 1" gap on all view-able sides of glass. 2) Lightly rinse, then stack your dryrock in an asthetic and functional manner, with attention to where your equipment will go. 3) Put in livesand, filling the 1" gap between the eggcrate and glass sides, and packing it down all over as best possible. 4) put a bowl down in the tank on the sand and slowly pour in the pre-mixed saltwater using a hose, caseful not to disturb the sand.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Ok thanks guys I have ordered my sand and dry rock I have egg crate from when I kept Africans.http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/hy-ps25065/Hydor+Slim+Skim+Protein+Skimmer.html This is the skimmer I have decided to go with.Wghat do you think


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Will;

you can not hide your identity by using another ID 

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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

sig said:


> Will;
> you can not hide your identity by using another ID


Whut?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

pat3612 said:


> Ok thanks guys I have ordered my sand and dry rock I have egg crate from when I kept Africans.http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/hy-ps25065/Hydor+Slim+Skim+Protein+Skimmer.html This is the skimmer I have decided to go with.Wghat do you think


I've not seen or used the Hydor Skimmers before. It's good that it has a multi-venturi, but I'm wonder if for the price of that item and shipping costs, could you find something better, or use its cost and more to find something surefire. I see a foam fractioning protein skimmer as being the single most important equipment component on most marine tanks, and thus the item that you need to spend the most time deciding and perhaps money on. Also many find that some skimmer manufacturers overrate the effectiveness of the product for a given maximum tank volume, perhaps they justify this by suggesting daily attention to the skimmers to ensure peak efficiency. Or perhaps they have a skewed opinion of ideal stocking loads in home reef tanks.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Can you recommend one Do not forget that I am in Barrie I do not drive and hubby is not into fish. Basic I only get to BAls and Petsmart though my birthday is in DEC and he dam well can take me to a reef store. Maybe I should hold off cycling till NOv.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

I haven't any experience using the newer ones on the market currently, and there are other's here on the forums that could lend better opinions on specific products they are still currently using. Tunze has a great rep though so I'd be looking into them myself. Also I rather not use In-tank skimmers, as space within a marine tank is often paramount. Hong-on is better, and in-sump is best, IMO.

In the Marine Discusion subforum titled "Equipment" you could ask for opinions.


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## BIGSHOW (Sep 10, 2011)

Your sand bed depends on a number of factors.

1. Are you doing a SSB (less then 2" depths) vs DSB (greater then 6")?
2. What is the size of your substrate? (small oolitic size for DSB and something quite a bit larger for a SSB)

SSB = siphon
DSB = Don't touch! (meaning don't siphon) and buy the appropriate CUC that will move and process the detritus.

If you are going for a DSB then you should try and rinse the sand with RO/DI water to remove any organics ...there is organics in newly purchased sand.

If you are doing a SSB then there really is no need to rinse as you will be siphoning the sand bed during regular maintenance.

Depending on the size and shapes of the rock you may want to use epoxy, zip ties, acrylic rods to secure the rock, but its totally up to you. 

You will add your sand and ALL rock at the same time and let your tank start its cycle, 4-6weeks. Test your water weekly and make sure you are seeing the tank actually cycle ...nitrite spike, then ammonia and finally your nitrates. Depending on the amount of LR used you may need to add something else to help assist the cycling process like a raw shrimp.

...IMO eggcrate is not necessary, I would put the rock first then sand. This way if you have any burrowing creatures your rock wont collapse when they dig tunnels in the sand between the rock and the bottom glass.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm not sure, but I think I recall reading that the Hydors weren't very good.

I've use Coralife Super Skimmers, SWC, CPR, and Remora Pro HOB skimmers and the Remora Pros have been my least problematic and most efficient ones by far. I don't recall what size tank you have but for my 90 and 75, I made certain to get the Pro with Mag 3.

http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/remora-with-drive-p-3212.html?osCsid=1ip5kkg0napt8cgeb09isdteq4

I also got the skimmer box, which acts as a cover for the pump. The box is now covered in coraline and xenias now so you don't even see it. It hides the pump and is multi-purpose...I use the pump side for a bag of GFO and he outlet side for chaeto...

I got mine at mops.ca . Great guys to deal with and great prices... They're mostly mail order but allow pickup and are only a half hour or so from Oakville Reef Gallery if you decide to head down this way in December 



pat3612 said:


> Can you recommend one Do not forget that I am in Barrie I do not drive and hubby is not into fish. Basic I only get to BAls and Petsmart though my birthday is in DEC and he dam well can take me to a reef store. Maybe I should hold off cycling till NOv.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

don't waste money on HOB skimmers. For what they cost you can get decent in sump skimmer.
I was in this story and just wasted money on the first skimmer and after few months got the sump.
I suggest that you try to find somebody to drill the hole in the existing tank or use this one for the sump and get drilled tank or even full set up.

I would say for additional $100 (or even less) you can get good pump + $100 for plumbing. Skimmer you are buying anyway. Your hubby is not in fish, but hopefully he will be able to help with set up

this is a good one. probably you do not have a access to AP, but most of the good deals are there
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28166

This is also not bad on AP and I think the guy will sell for less

65 gallon reef set up complete
65 gallon set up , tank , light , stand , moonlights , hang on back fuge with lighting , ato top off , heater , top off tank , all pumps and euro reef protien skimmer . also includes live rock and live sand , posting on behalf of a friend

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