just starting out??

[eagle9252]

i'm new in this forum and i need to be able to pm someone.

here is some info,

as the title says I'm starting out. i found this site a couple of days ago but now I have some questions.
i hope by mid week next week to put SW in the tank and start it up. at the moment it has fresh water in it. I have read this and that about LS and LR. due to my budget I will probly start with a Bare Bottom tank and put some LS and LR in the sump. where is the best place for the LS. I mean you buy a bag at petsmart that there is no telling how long it has been closed up. is it worth the money or get dry sand? does anyone know where to get real LIVE SAND? does anyone have some to spare? I know about the shrimp but do you add the snails and such upfront? do i need to add the cheto and light from the start? or wait.

here is the link for my build so far.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2069391">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2069391</a>

[IMG]http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc225/propane4x4/fish%20tank%20build/1002011732.jpg alt="" />

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Edit: shameless bump

 

[rdnelson]

I am pretty new here so I can't answer a lot of your questions but... From what I have been told (sounds very reasonable to me) live sand is a waste of money. Whatever was alive most likely is not after being in a sealed bag for months on end. I have heard of people using play sand from HD or Lowes. You just need to wash it very well before you put it in the tank. You can seed the sand with a cup of live sand from a friend or a LFS. Getting a couple of good pieces of LR will also seed the sand. You tank will have to cycle and during that time, the LR will seed the sand and any dead rock you added in. The biggest thing to remember is go slow. It can take a month or more to complete you cycle before you can and any living creatures.

 

[raz0945]

The sand from Home Depot is made from Silica, Ocean sand is made from mostly crushed corals and is aragonite and will help hold your ph. I have used just the dry aragonite and added sand from one of my tanks and put in live rock, then after about 10 days started testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates to see when my cycle was completed, I let mine cycle for a about 4 weeks. I have one tank that never had a cycle but I put in 150 lb of live rock and about 25 cups of live sand from 3 of my other tanks. I will be happy to give you some live sand to seed your dry sand, I'm sure several people here would be willing to give a few cups to help you out. Holley

 

[rdnelson]

Hey Holley, where can you get just the aragonite sand? I have all I need at the moment but I hope to upgrade to a larger tank in the not so distant future. Would be great to know where to find it when that time comes.

 

[raz0945]

I have been collecting sand a bag at a time(whenever I had extra $), I had bought some from Keens for my other tanks. Most stores will give you a little break if you order a lot. Shipping is very costly-maybe we could have a group buy on aragonite, if we could order enough. How many bags do you need, the 40lb are usually the best buy? I know Bill at Aviarium carries the Special grade of aragonite. Holley

Edit: Eagle9252-I looked at you thread on Reef Central-Very Nice, If you are going to be at the meeting and are ready for a couple of cups of live sand I will bring you some. I will check back on this thread to see! To get you post count up ask questions and make comments that might help someone, get a membership, join the ARC family-It is really worth it! Holley

 

[rdnelson]

Raz0945;693940 wrote: I have been collecting sand a bag at a time(whenever I had extra $), I had bought some from Keens for my other tanks. Most stores will give you a little break if you order a lot. Shipping is very costly-maybe we could have a group buy on aragonite, if we could order enough. How many bags do you need, the 40lb are usually the best buy? I know Bill at Aviarium carries the Special grade of aragonite. Holley

Edit: Eagle9252-I looked at you thread on Reef Central-Very Nice, If you are going to be at the meeting and are ready for a couple of cups of live sand I will bring you some. I will check back on this thread to see! To get you post count up ask questions and make comments that might help someone, get a membership, join the ARC family-It is really worth it! Holley

Now that is what I like to see and exactly what made me pony up the registration fee. I watched this site for a few weeks and when I saw the way people jumped in to help others it sold me. And not only with fish related stuff but cars, bills, etc. Really a bunch of great people. Give you an example of how nice people are, I put a 2 lamp fixture up for trade and was offered $30.00 for it. I told the guy I would prefer some frags and now he is going to give me what would probably cost me more than $100.00 to buy. For a newbie on a budget, that is spectacular. :yay:

 

[dawgface]

Can't beat this

 

[eagle9252]

Raz0945;693916 wrote: The sand from Home Depot is made from Silica, Ocean sand is made from mostly crushed corals and is aragonite and will help hold your ph. I have used just the dry aragonite and added sand from one of my tanks and put in live rock, then after about 10 days started testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates to see when my cycle was completed, I let mine cycle for a about 4 weeks. I have one tank that never had a cycle but I put in 150 lb of live rock and about 25 cups of live sand from 3 of my other tanks. I will be happy to give you some live sand to seed your dry sand, I'm sure several people here would be willing to give a few cups to help you out. Holley

I was just close by last night but not ready for LS yet. I still have a bunch to do.

Edit:

Raz0945;693940 wrote: I have been collecting sand a bag at a time(whenever I had extra $), I had bought some from Keens for my other tanks. Most stores will give you a little break if you order a lot. Shipping is very costly-maybe we could have a group buy on aragonite, if we could order enough. How many bags do you need, the 40lb are usually the best buy? I know Bill at Aviarium carries the Special grade of aragonite. Holley

Edit: Eagle9252-I looked at you thread on Reef Central-Very Nice, If you are going to be at the meeting and are ready for a couple of cups of live sand I will bring you some. I will check back on this thread to see! To get you post count up ask questions and make comments that might help someone, get a membership, join the ARC family-It is really worth it! Holley

I live close to Six Flags. I will not be at this meeting, wished I could come but it would be a long drive for me. maybe we could get together sometime soon.