RO unit finally hooked up!

[WildPraire]

Wow... we are actually finally getting somewhere. Now we just have to set up the large holding tanks for the RO water, put the sand in the tank and fill it up. After I make sure its holding I'll add salt and mix in tank with Tunze powerheads, and have the Ebo Jager heaters going. Then FINALLY I will be able to get LR. It all seems to be going in slow motion, but I know it will get there eventually.

I want advice on what "I wish I would of known, or I wish I would of had on hand when I started putting my LR in"

I've read about people using PVC to hold rock off the bottom, plastic 'wire ties' or epoxy, glass rods or fiberglass to hold it all together. Can you give you me your experience and suggestions for when we hit this stage? How did you hold it together? What was the best way to hold it off the bottom?

What do I absolutely need to take this next step? I have a Coral life Deep Six Hydrometer. I know that this needs to be replaced with a better model, but will it do to get me started? I have Tropic Marin Sand. I have to get test kits. I have a large Klaes skimmer.

Please post any and ALL advice for this next stage. The tank is going to take a while to fill so I have time to get more supplies together.

Man this is better than Christmas!

Sue

[trodder]

Ask David Grigor how he did his. His landscaping in his big boi (boy) tank is sweeet.

[David Grigor]

After doing your leak test go ahead and drain the tank again. It is much easier to aquascape a tank without the water in it.

It would be best to cure your LR in a seperate tub/bucket.

Using the rod method you can achieve a full look with at least 40% less lbs. of rock.

You should be able to find enough info on how I do it by searching this forum..... PM me if you have more specific questions.

[WildPraire]

Hi again,

If I'm going to drain most of the water out of the tank after the leak test, is it worth it to use RO water for this test? Or can I use regular water and then siphon it out (obviously there would still be some water left in the tank if I already have the sand in) and then refill with RO water? Looks like the RO filter is rejecting about 95 percent of the water, which goes directly into our septic tank.
The plan was to put all the live rock right into the tank and 'cure' it there. I'm looking at sources that should be fairly well cured, although I know there will be some die off regardless. Is this simply not the way to do it?

Sue

[JnS]

use tap water to check for leaks..RO/DI would just be a waste of water since you will be throwing it away.

a tub to cure LR would be better then your tank.
if you are having rock shipped in, you will have alot of die off and will need to cure it again.

[David Grigor]

No need to have sand in during leak test......

Regular Tap water is fine. If a little left in the bottom, 24hours and clorine would have dissappated anyways.....


What I have found best is to cut larger diameter PVC ( 2.5"+ sizes ) into small lengths the same height or slightly smaller than your anticipated sand depth. Put all your LR on the PVC ( PVC is one end ). Not directly on the sandbed. That way any borrowing critters or pumps blow sand around it won't effect your structure.

This method also saves $$ your LR. No sense burrying 3" of your valueable LR under the sandbed.

Definately want to put you sand in the tank before you add SW to minimize cloudiness.

[WildPraire]

Filled the tank up with tap water, hooked the plumbing up and let the tank run for awhile, no leaks!

We're going to let it sit overnight, tomorrow we can drain and put the sand in. We bought 2 - 35 gallon stock tanks to hold fresh RO water and mixed salt weeks ago, but didn't notice that they didn't come with caps. So frustrating, now we have to get these before we have a holding tank for RO water. Anyway at least we are one step closer

David your ideas are fantastic, thank you, very much appreciated!

On a side note I was in Little Buddies pet shop in Monticello and saw a tank loaded with some nice shaped live rock. Turns out its some that they are keeping for someone, and its LR from Brazil. It was really nice looking stuff.

I'm at that stage where I am looking at everything thinking "I want that NOW". I know, I know, patience.

Sue