ready...set...go????

[Milo]

Hi everyone,

So after getting familiar with running a salt water tank i decided to purchase a used tank that someone was selling. Basically what i am getting is a 30g with a weipro 2013 skimmer (modified), a powerhead, heater, 25-35lbs live rock (some figi and some tonga), airpump and aragonite.

My question is, how long for the initial set up of the tank? I don't want to rush things so thought i should check with everyone on this board.

I figured for a 30 gal about 2 weeks before I can start adding little swimmers?

Any thoughts?

 

[SALTY WATERS]

If it is already a matured system (ie. LR is fully cured) and you use at least 50% of the water currently in the running tank, then I would say ya a good waiting period would be about 2 weeks. That will give you time to keep an eye on water peramiters and make sure all is stable.

 

[Milo]

What if the tank is empty. I am not sure if it is or not (I imagine not due to the live rock) but if it is empty, how long should the tank be running to be stable? Varies?

 

[SALTY WATERS]

If it is empty (which like you said, would be unlikely as there is LR) then it all depends on if the LR is actually live rock or just dried up dead rock, in which case I would be renegotiating the $$$. But say it is then you willl need to start from scratch and then you are looking at having to buy some actual LR to seed the tank and start the cycle and if this is the case you are looking at 1-2 months till your tank will be stable enough to handle anything other than a clean-up crew.

 

[Milo]

Thanks for all the info Salty Waters

 

[wayne]

I would be thinking 2 months rather than weeks

 

[SALTY WATERS]

I would be thinking 2 months rather than weeks

If the system is already matured and he saves most of the water...?
I would think 2 weeks would be sufficent in this instance... but more time would never hurt either!

 

[wayne]

Urrm, true, should have read it better. Depends what's in the tank now. Certainly I would keep the live rock and kit, but I would likely toss most of the sand and start a new bed with maybe 90% new sand, 10 - 20% old. No fish with it? What happened to them?

Why would he keep most of the water? Why are people obsessed with old water, and in the contrary terrified of water changes?

 

[Milo]

Hi Everyone,

Well like I said, he told me that there would be live rock so hopefully everything is okay with that. As for the tank running, not sure, I would hopeso, but never the less, because this is going to be my first salt water tank i would imagine that i could probably get a new fish by christmas