setting up the tank

[emilbus]

we are finally moving into our new place November 1st and i plan on setting up the tank as soon as i step foot into the apartment. my only question is should i wait until i get LR and lights or can i start running the water now? i have all the sand for the tank and the LRR for the fuge. i probably wont be able to get rock until december so what should i do?

[emilbus]

you mean to tell me that there is know one in here that knows the answer to this question? thats kinda funny. well whatever then.

[Richard]

Set it up and just let it run. This will give time for microfauna to grow/reproduce. Also see if you can get a little live sand & macro from someone's established fuge to your tank with. Then when you get your liverock make sure it is very well cured before putting in the tank.

[eddie]

I agree. Just get it going. It will take a while for your tank to cycle

[Shark_Bait]

you mean to tell me that there is know one in here that knows the answer to this question? thats kinda funny. well whatever then.

Well... you waited a whole 34 minutes and no one resonded..must mean we don't know....

The longer you are able to have it running the better, gives the sand time to cycle and become "live" especially if you can seed it from someone elses tank as mentioned above. Will also give the rubble time to build up what it needs. The problem that most people have is thta they don't wait long enough for thier systems to cycle. Whatever your situation is that you won't have rock for awhile will help you slow down. Then add your rock and wait some more. Then start adding slowly....

[emilbus]

thanks for the info. i thought this is what i was suppose to do i just wanted to make sure. oh, i waited 12 hours and 34 minutes. i thought some one would have chimed in by then. thanks

[Richard]

I saw your question and passed up answering it thinking someone else would. Probably everyone thought someone else was going to answer it. You can just type "Bump" if a post gets overlooked.

[Shark_Bait]

**** open mouth insert foot...

[emilbus]

i dont need to do water changes right? the only thing i will have is sand, LRR, cheato, and water :o . go figure. i guess i really didnt have to mention the water, but whatever.

[emilbus]

i think im gonna have to bump cause i dont think anyone really saw this even though its number 7 on the list.

[blueboy]

i would wait to see signs of a cycle before doing a WC.

[matt]

This would be a great opportunity to get live sand from a variety of sources, including other reef tanks and places like inland aquatics, GARF, and IPSF. You'll have a jammin' sand bed by December, but remember to feed the tank once you get live sand in it. A little DTs and cyclopeeze would be perfect, also decapsulated brine shrimp eggs. What you want is a nice healthy population of bristleworms and microfauna. The absence of light should actually help the population grow, I would suspect. Sounds like a great way to start a reef tank!

[emilbus]

perfect man, i will do just that. thanks for all the info.