Question About Starting Aquarium

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

Ali

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 31, 2005
221
0
0
All right,

well I am finally going to be able to set up my aquarium.

Question #1

I had Tahitian Moon Sand in the aquarium which I have taken most of out. Does it matter if there is still a little bit left or should I make sure the tank is totally clean.

Question #2

My RO/DI system is leaking from the faucet and is producing WAY more waste water than the product water. Is this okay? Also, the resin chambers leak even though I have tightened them. Anything to do to stop this?

Question #3

Should I wait for the tank to fill up with water and then add salt to it or should I mix the salt and then add it?

Question #4

Should I set up all of my equipment (FBF, UV, sump,etc...) now?

Here is a list of some of my equipment:

-CORALIFE SUPER LUFT SUMP
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=ES01657

-PINPOINT PH MONITOR
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=AM1111

-PINPOINT SALINITY MONITOR
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=AM1115

-AUTOMATIC TOP OFF (ATO) SYSTEM WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=JB5111

-AQUA MEDIC SP 3000 - DOSING PUMP
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=AQ4511

-FB-900 FLUIDIZED BED FILTER
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=RB7691

-WON PRO-HEAT LCD DIGITAL 1000W TITANIUM HEATER
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=WB1335

-48" NOVA EXTREME 8X54W T5 HO WITH 4 LUNAR LIGHTS
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=CU01123

-TURBO TWIST 12X - 36W UV STERILIZER - UP TO 500GAL
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=ES77072

-MAG-DRIVE SUPREME 9.5 950 GPH WATER PUMP
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=DN1127

-PINPOINT ORP CONTROLLER
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=YUL3333

-KENT MARINE DELUXE HI-S MAXXIMA 60 GPD
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=KM1493

-KENT MARINE COMKITPLUS
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=KM1613
 
Ali - Are you not the one who was trying to build a system large enough to house a Bull Shark, or was that a different person? As for the RO/DI, it will always produce more waste water than good water. Should say that right on the box, as for the leaking faucet, have you installed the rubber o-ring inside the faucet? If not try doing that. You can't pre-mix salt without your RO/DI, so wait until your tank is full to mix salt. I would test run everything once its full of RO/DI, if its all working well, take some water out do a water change, then mix your salt and start your cycle.
 
Brenden;968632; said:
Ali - Are you not the one who was trying to build a system large enough to house a Bull Shark, or was that a different person? As for the RO/DI, it will always produce more waste water than good water. Should say that right on the box, as for the leaking faucet, have you installed the rubber o-ring inside the faucet? If not try doing that. You can't pre-mix salt without your RO/DI, so wait until your tank is full to mix salt. I would test run everything once its full of RO/DI, if its all working well, take some water out do a water change, then mix your salt and start your cycle.
Click to expand...

Brenden - I do indeed plan on building a system large enough to house a Bull Shark. I have found that patience is a virtue and that I must not rush into such a huge commitment. In time, however, I will build it.

Thanks for the help. The only reason I ask this question is because the RO/DI unit produces maybe 1 drop of water to almost a gallon of waste water. I have never used a RO/DI unit before so I am wondering? Also, where does the TDS monitor go?
 
Ali - Depending on the size of your container, and the size of your RO/DI Unit it could take anywhere from 1 day - 5 days to fill your container. RO/DI Units run very slow, unless you have purchased a massive one. Something you should invest in, if you plan on leaving the RO/DI on all the time is a float valve to shut the water off once it reaches a certain point. I have had my fair share of spilling experiences and they are not fun haha
 
Brenden;968675; said:
Ali - Depending on the size of your container, and the size of your RO/DI Unit it could take anywhere from 1 day - 5 days to fill your container. RO/DI Units run very slow, unless you have purchased a massive one. Something you should invest in, if you plan on leaving the RO/DI on all the time is a float valve to shut the water off once it reaches a certain point. I have had my fair share of spilling experiences and they are not fun haha
Click to expand...

Okay, well I purchased an ATO (Automatic Top Off) sytem. The only probelm is the damn thing doesn't come with much of any instructions. Are you familiar with this device? How do I use it with my RO/DI system?
 
To be honest, it looks like you pulled random 'top end' stuff from a magazine and tossed it together. All that automatied junk is just a problem waiting to happen. I'd NEVER run an automated freshwater top off into a salt water tank. Why in the world do you need an ORP probe? Are you dosing with ozone? Are you running RO or DI? I wouldn't run UV on such a young system You'll nver get it to cycle correctly.

None of the links you posted work for me (might be because I'm at work).
 
Zoodiver;968727; said:
To be honest, it looks like you pulled random 'top end' stuff from a magazine and tossed it together. All that automatied junk is just a problem waiting to happen. I'd NEVER run an automated freshwater top off into a salt water tank. Why in the world do you need an ORP probe? Are you dosing with ozone? Are you running RO or DI? I wouldn't run UV on such a young system You'll nver get it to cycle correctly.

None of the links you posted work for me (might be because I'm at work).
Click to expand...
The automatic top off is to add RO/DI to the aquarium due to evaporation.

Sorry, I don't know why the links failed.

Here is a run down of my equipment:

360 mg Ultrazone ozone generator http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=YUL3333
Lifeguard FBF 900 http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium...bow-lifegard_fluidized_bed_filter.asp?CartId=
RO/DI Maxxima Deluxe 60 GPD http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=KM1493
Coralife Turbo Twist 36 watt UV http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=ES77072
ATO http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=JB5111
Mag-Drive Supreme 9.5 pump http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=DN1127
48" Nova Extreme 8x54w T5HO w/ 4 lunar lights http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=CU01123
Controller for ORP http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=AM1313
Monitor for PH http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=AM1111
Monitor for Salinity http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=AM1115
Won Heater 1000w http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=WB1335
peristaltic pump Aqua Medic 3000 http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=AQ4511
RO/DI water resivour http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idProduct=KM1613

I tried to get the best equipment so I can get used to their usage in order to prepare myself for the shark tank.

I have not got the protein skimmer yet because I am saving up for the MRC 4848 http://myreefcreations.com/pscommercial.htm
 
Ok sorry, but it still looks like a fish keeping magazine threw up.
You don't need 90% of that stuff....and some of it is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. I would never suggest O3 for a home tank. It's over kill. So are automated systems, digital guages, and all that other stuff.

All of those things are just things that can fail on you. If you don't have the time to top off your tank and need an automated system, then you don't have time to look at it and care for it properly. The other stuff falls into that same line of thought...like UV. Don't run it for the first year or so. Infact, I don't usually run them at all.

My suggestion is get a salt tank going with the basics. Learn that stuff. Start at 100 gallons or so. Get basic lights and a basic hang on the back filter with a built in pt skimmer. That is all you need. Run that for over a year without issues. Then start stepping up.
 
Most of this stuff I bought with shark needs in mind. I wanted to learn to use this stuff with "normal" fish before I used it with a shark.

I just bought some sand and am going to fill up my tank with RO/DI water and mix in the salt when the tank is full.

As for the equipment, I will set up the sump first and add LR, then I will add the FBF and then once the tank is established in 6+ months, I will set up the ozone and UV to take care of the increased bio load once I introduce big waste producing fish such as groupers.

Btw, incase you didn't notice the ozone generator is the safe bulb kind and not the dangerous one that can kill you if leaked.
 
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