Setting up a new tank. Was wondering what order to place the live rock and live sand. What about water? Do I fill it halfway? Thanks.

I'd add the rinsed sand (non-live sand is fine, your LR will inoculate the LS) and cover it with a plastic bag. Put a dish on top of the bag and gently pour the water on the dish until the tank is 1/2 - 2/3 full. Remove the bag/dish, place your rock upon PVC stands (see Amphibious' tank journal) and then finish gently adding the water. The bag/dish trick will minimize the sand storm.

Thanks Carmie! Should I keep lights on or off during initial cycle?

Try to keep the live rock off the sand as much as possible to get good flow in your reef. I (and others) do this by making stands from PVC. Like these:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/Stands.jpg

I ended up cutting them another 1/4 inch shorter in the end (the sand settles and reduces in height) but the finished look is nice:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/Runninwithrock2.jpg

Once I put little colonies of zoanthids, mushrooms, etc. around the lower reef, the coralline takes hold, and the sand blows around from the pumps, you'll probably never notice the stands.

Dave

Try to keep the live rock off the sand as much as possible to get good flow in your reef. I (and others) do this by making stands from PVC. Like these:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/Stands.jpg

I ended up cutting them another 1/4 inch shorter in the end (the sand settles and reduces in height) but the finished look is nice:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/Runninwithrock2.jpg

Once I put little colonies of zoanthids, mushrooms, etc. around the lower reef, the coralline takes hold, and the sand blows around from the pumps, you'll probably never notice the stands.

Dave

Thanks Dave.

What size PVC? I'm setting up a 14 gallon tank.

As big as you need it. I used 2 inch, but it is in a 38 Gallon tank with huge, football or larger pieces of rock. I couldn't even get them in without taking the canopy off, and somewhat bending the center brace. If you are using smaller, softball sized rock, you can use one inch or less. The idea is to create at least three, sturdy (I used four) points of contact to support the rock, off of the sand, for good flow.

Dave

As big as you need it. I used 2 inch, but it is in a 38 Gallon tank with huge, football or larger pieces of rock. I couldn't even get them in without taking the canopy off, and somewhat bending the center brace. If you are using smaller, softball sized rock, you can use one inch or less. The idea is to create at least three, sturdy (I used four) points of contact to support the rock, off of the sand, for good flow.

Dave

David and I seldom disagree (great minds run on the same track???) but I would not use pipe as small as 1" or less. You're looking for a stable platform and 1 1/4" is the smallest size I would use. I recommend 1 1/2" as the standard. Here's a link to my tank build thread. You might get some good ideas from there on many subjects - Amphibious' 135 Mixed Reef (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/412-amphibious-135-gal-reef.html)

Happy Reefing!

Dick

Dick,

We can always disagree :) We've known each other long enough that we could be "common law" in some states ;)

In my 12 gallon nano, I used the 1 inch. The rock itself was no larger than baseballs and the sand bed only a couple inches deep. Match the hatch is what I say. I'd not use 1 1/2 for rocks that may be of the same diameter. This tank *pointing up* is also less than 20 gallons. I'm thinking that larger rocks won't be used.

Of course, as you can see in my pics, the bigger the tank and the rock used, the larger diameter PVC to make for a sure footing.

Dave

Mick, unless you have coral hitch hikers on your LR there is really no reason to use the lights during the cycle. However, if you are like me, you may want to just look at your box of water and rocks. In that case, I'd turn the lights on for your viewing pleasure and turn them off if you aren't actively looking at the tank. This is should help limit (but not eliminate) the algae bloom that is expected with new tanks.

Mick, unless you have coral hitch hikers on your LR there is really no reason to use the lights during the cycle. However, if you are like me, you may want to just look at your box of water and rocks. In that case, I'd turn the lights on for your viewing pleasure and turn them off if you aren't actively looking at the tank. This is should help limit (but not eliminate) the algae bloom that is expected with new tanks.

What if I use Marco rocks. Will algae bloom not be a problem? Can I then have the normal lighting cycle?

You can have algae blooms on any rock, glass, sand, heaters, powerheads, pretty much anything in the tank if the dissolved and undissolved nutrients exist, and the required light is there to promote its growth.

Marco Rock is going to be free of live hitch hikers, but it can contain dead biological matter in the various nooks and crannies. You have to make sure you soak it for some time in fresh water, blast it with a hose in the cracks and crevices, soak it again, and again, until the fresh water runs clear and not "rusty". Thereafter, you need to put it into salt water, and let it soak.

If there is any little bit of decaying matter in the rock, it can fuel an algae bloom.

Dave