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best way to start up new tank water?


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  • SRC Member

Hi , trying to do the tank right from day 1 rather than having to solve issues later on, need some suggestions of the most economical sound best way.

I will list down the pros and cons of what i'm thinking and see your guys's opinion

Tank volume estimated 1000L

1: self make DI water with salt estimate cost

2 pails of salt = S120

DI water cartridge probably 2-3 = $70?

water cost duno

total cost $250?

Pros: cleanest way with no parasites whatsoever

Cons: wait til flower also die liao and alot of work

2: Purchased DI water with sale mix

40 bottles of DI water = $240 =/-

2 pails of salt = $120

Total cost $360

Pros : fast and clean with no parasites

Cons: unknown quality of water and freaking expensive

3: Tap water leave it overnight and salt mix and run GFO to get rid of PO4

water cost unknown

2 pails of salt = $120

1 bottle of 1kg rowa = $80?

total cost $250?

Pros : cheap and fast with no parasites

Cons: unwanted elements in water from tap

4: NSW

delivery = $80?

Mg and Ca addictive = $100?

Total cost $180?

Pros: fast and lazy method, cheap

Cons: fear of parasites and sg water dirty , low salinity , maybe around 1.17-1.20

Pros: cheap and fast

As i am typing this and doing the calculations i kinda answered my own questions but still good to seek opinions

I think number 3 & 4 is out, if there is lobang for good and reasonable price DI water than that will be my preferred choice

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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  • SRC Supporter

Hi Bro,

Got the same headache like you as well during my setting up, since my tank is about the same volume as yours and here is some of my recommendation and hopefully it helps .

1) Buy bottled distilled water for salt mix for initial setup if RO/DI is a big investment for you.

2) If you are afraid of parasites on new rocks , you can consider using dead rock or "Cook" your rock prior to using it. Do some search here or google it will give you some info on it.

3) On average a normal 4 stage RO/DI will last you about 250 liters before a change. The DI resin need to be change faster, but the carbon is able to last longer.

4) Use NSW to cycle the tank for at least 30 days, so if there is any chance of parasites the cycles will be gone without any host. After which do a major water change with salt mix to bring up the parameter.

5) Consider using artificial rock instead of "Live" one.

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  • SRC Member

Wow bro thanks for taking the time to type such a detail reply,

I will b using artificial rocks as base mix with lr that has been cooked for 3 yrs lol, so that part i'm not worried, i already has a set of crystal pro from previously just that it takes 1 hour to make 100l of water, that'll take me 10hrs, omg

As for water change i will do a 2 stage cycling, (kiasu)

1st stage cycle for 1 month, during this time no2 drops to 0 , i'l add 1 more piece of market prawn.

There after i'l do a 50-70% water change depending on how is the water n throw in a prawn again if water this time is gd i'l add in corals only, n 2 weeks later then do another 50% water change than add in fishes slowly , super super kiasu

Nsw i am concern of pathogens n parasites as i do not know how well do they filter the water, i know some sellers draw water straight from

The sea immediately n head over to pump the water (yucks)

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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  • SRC Member

bro can try using this method. NSW for cycling. use RO/DI water to wash and brush your rocks clean. add them in tank for cycling. then kia su abit throw few market prawn in. 1month and you're ready to kick start. before starting i've change water using RO/DI and salt mix. slowly you water would be "clean"

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Bro,

Got the same headache like you as well during my setting up, since my tank is about the same volume as yours and here is some of my recommendation and hopefully it helps .

1) Buy bottled distilled water for salt mix for initial setup if RO/DI is a big investment for you.

2) If you are afraid of parasites on new rocks , you can consider using dead rock or "Cook" your rock prior to using it. Do some search here or google it will give you some info on it.

3) On average a normal 4 stage RO/DI will last you about 250 liters before a change. The DI resin need to be change faster, but the carbon is able to last longer.

4) Use NSW to cycle the tank for at least 30 days, so if there is any chance of parasites the cycles will be gone without any host. After which do a major water change with salt mix to bring up the parameter.

5) Consider using artificial rock instead of "Live" one.

Hi Boss,

Any recommendations for bottled water?

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  • SRC Member

i managed to survive tru 48 hrs of dripping ro-di, tank is finally running but ALAS i got no market prawn at home lol

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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  • SRC Member

i managed to survive tru 48 hrs of dripping ro-di, tank is finally running but ALAS i got no market prawn at home lol

Haha... bro you forgotten core ingredient...throw in some pellet food to kickoff as not to delay ur cycle time...it had happened to be years back too.cheers
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  • SRC Member

i went shop n safe buy a pkt of prawns n throw in already lol

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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  • SRC Member

wow.. i dont dare to try.. market prawn too dirty..cause water pollution. I thought dosing bacteria can already.. Safe n cleaner way.

Tank Theme: Mixed Reef with clams

3 feet tank with IOS

Eheim 1262

K3 wavemaker x1

Lightings: T5 actinic blue x4 , T5 white x4

Skimmer: BMQQ

Artica 1/5

Dosing: NA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reefing is sharing. People with rotten mouth is sure a loser for life as expected. When a tomato gets rotten, you can nvr save it.. Throw it away before it infect the good ones.

Member of:

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  • SRC Member

I think the whole idea is to introduce some form of decaying matter to pollute the tank to kick start the bacteria "growing" process.

Correct me if im wrong but without a food source (nh4/no2) excess bateria would also die off if we dose right?

Sorry to hijack ur thread to ask this TS ^_^

send via tapa

:: just a noob ::

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  • SRC Member

Yes u are right. thats why for new tank u need to dose more n often. because theres nothing for the bacteria to eat for new tank.

Tank Theme: Mixed Reef with clams

3 feet tank with IOS

Eheim 1262

K3 wavemaker x1

Lightings: T5 actinic blue x4 , T5 white x4

Skimmer: BMQQ

Artica 1/5

Dosing: NA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reefing is sharing. People with rotten mouth is sure a loser for life as expected. When a tomato gets rotten, you can nvr save it.. Throw it away before it infect the good ones.

Member of:

post-1182-0-60431600-1322062247_thumb.jppost-2241-0-43391700-1354511230.png

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  • SRC Member

and to dose until ur tank is mature enough to do auto pilot.

Tank Theme: Mixed Reef with clams

3 feet tank with IOS

Eheim 1262

K3 wavemaker x1

Lightings: T5 actinic blue x4 , T5 white x4

Skimmer: BMQQ

Artica 1/5

Dosing: NA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reefing is sharing. People with rotten mouth is sure a loser for life as expected. When a tomato gets rotten, you can nvr save it.. Throw it away before it infect the good ones.

Member of:

post-1182-0-60431600-1322062247_thumb.jppost-2241-0-43391700-1354511230.png

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  • SRC Member

market prawn is like the traditional way of kickstarting the cycle, i am dosing bac + market prawn + biopellets, but not much LR in my tank so later going to get a pail of bacteria king for bacteria to live in

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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  • SRC Member

actually this thread is not about cycling, its actually what type of method of water will be best for starting a new tank

Mix Reef Tank: 5ft x 2.5ft x 2ft mixed reef

Chiller: daikin 1hp compressor

Return: Red Dragon 6.5m3

Lighting: Aqua Lumen Ocean 4ft

Skimmer: Reef Octopus RO-RPS-5000-EXT w/ Bubble Blaster

CR: RM 824 /milwakee PH controller

Tunze TS24 with 7096

Tunze Osmolator

American Pinpoint PH monitor

American Pinpoint ORP Monitor with Resun Ozone

RM sulphur denitrator

RM FR 424

RM FR 624

TLF Phosban Reactor

My old tank thread

469748_10150741487628605_529506809_o_zps36d5c396.jpg

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Bro all 3 methods are good way to start a new tank. I used new for my initial setup and slowly converted to DI water from doing water change.

As for introduction of parasites and harmful pathogens, you cannot escape from this problem. When you add fishes or corals, pathogens n parasites will hitch hike into your tank. The only way is damage control.

Also would like to advice on the usage of artificial rocks, due to the nature of it being hollow, it'll trap dead water. Thus nitrate will build up over time. So pls consider twice about using artificial rocks

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