Need some suggestion on my initial fillup

[Kevin McG]

Well in the next couple of days I am going to start to fill my tank but I'm faced with exactly how I am going to go about this.

I have my ro/di unit ready to go and the sand and rock will be in the tank tomorrow. I am think just let the line from the ro unit expell water directly into the tank, only when I am home though for ovious reasons. Then add the salt after the tank is full. My RO unit will make 100 gallons a day so I am figuring 2-3 days to fill my tank.

Is this a proper way or is there a better way??

 

[RichConley]

if its live rock/sand, filling it with RO first will probably kill everything in the rock.if you fill, and then add the rock, that would work I guess.

 

[NateHanson]

Have you tried filling the tank with tap water yet, to test for leaks, and give the pumps and plumbing a "dry" run. It sometimes helps to trouble-shoot that stuff before you have 3 days and $100 of salt in the tank.

Aside from that, I wouldn't really be concerned about letting the RO run while you're gone, once you have a feel for how fast it's producing, and as long as it's not getting close to full. Your RO may make significantly less than 100g this week with the temps so low.

Very exciting though! Do you have pics up of the finished setup?!

Nate

 

[Kevin McG]

if its live rock/sand, filling it with RO first will probably kill everything in the rock.if you fill, and then add the rock, that would work I guess.

Sorry I should of noted all my rock is dry base rock

 

[Kevin McG]

Have you tried filling the tank with tap water yet, to test for leaks, and give the pumps and plumbing a "dry" run. It sometimes helps to trouble-shoot that stuff before you have 3 days and $100 of salt in the tank.

Aside from that, I wouldn't really be concerned about letting the RO run while you're gone, once you have a feel for how fast it's producing, and as long as it's not getting close to full. Your RO may make significantly less than 100g this week with the temps so low.

Very exciting though! Do you have pics up of the finished setup?!

Nate

Yes Nate I ran the tank to test all plumbing with tap water for about 3 days(last week). I snapped a few pictures tonight and instead of me posting if you like click the link and go to the bottom of the page for the updates.
Link

or I have a thread at RC you can check out
RC Link

 

[wrassefan]

check with Ray - he may be collecting ocean water you can buy

 

[NateHanson]

Looking good Kevin! That was a pretty quick project (at least by comparison to the two-year laundry room I just finished).

Did you reconsider the access doors on top?

 

[MarkO]

Tank looks great Kevin! I think you should be fine adding the salt afterwards.

 

[Kevin McG]

Looking good Kevin! That was a pretty quick project (at least by comparison to the two-year laundry room I just finished).

Did you reconsider the access doors on top?

Yea I reconsidered it, I was having a b**** of a time trying to figure out what I was going to do so I said screw it.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I filled my 125g over several days. I ran the RO/DI right into the tank - after I tested the output (and with new filters). As the tank filled I mixed salt in to bring the salinity up to 1.025. Then as more water filled it would drop, and I would add more salt.
Seemed easier to do it as I went along, and gives the salt time to fully dissolve & mix. Someone (on RC?) said filling a tank with frshwater w/sand bed is bad as it takes a while for the saltwater to then fully "saturate" the sand bed.
I had just NO over the tank as it was filling, just for visibility