First time making Saltwater. Advice?

[bored4long]

I'll be setting up my first SW system on Saturday and need to buy some salt.

Which salt do you recommend and where is it the cheapest?
I live in Rocklin, so my choices are CRS, Your Reef or AquaLife.

Anything I need to know about mixing SW?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Auntbeez]

I use and like Reef Crystals...and I get it at DrFosters&Smith mail order.
I mix it in a 30 gal trash can, which I will already have full of RO water.
pretty simple really.

 

[kevin95695]

Have your full body of water ready before you add the mix. I found out recently that you can have issues if you add full salt to partial water. Also, you can test repeatedly as you gradually add salt until you reach your desired specific gravity/salinity.

I can't speak with any authority, but I think most salt mixes are fine if they're nitrate and phosphate free. Cheapest would be from an online source.

I like to suction cup a powerhead in the bucket to do the mixing. Warms the water a bit too. I mix above sump level, so I can slowly gravity-feed the new mix by siphon into the sump to pre-mix before it enters the display.

 

[Eclectic Taste]

I haven't priced it at local shops recently, but I remember it was much cheaper online. I bought my Reef Crystals from Drs Foster & Smith - shipping is very cheap for such a heavy item, and it comes rather quickly, too. If you order today you may even get it by Friday. You'll find you need a lot of other gadgets & gizmos as well, and can add all that into your order.

Initially I mixed it directly in the display tank, and mix make-up water in a 5 gallon bucket with a powerhead in there.

If you really want to get started now, just buy a small bag now at any local shop to get your tank up & running, then get the big bucket later.

P.S. I'm in Rocklin, too, and also have a 75 gallon acrylic like the one you just bought. If you want to come over to see what I've done you're welcome - just drop me a pm.

 

[Doahh]

Petsmart.... 160 gallon bucket of IO for 35 bucks

 

[kdblove_99]

I also like the Reef Crystals from drfostersmith

 

[bored4long]

Thanks, Doahh. I might have to get the IO for now, since I don't have time to wait on shipping. I'll definitely move to Reef Crystals, though, as almost all recommend RC.

 

[mpoletti]

I get my RC at yourreef or Ost. You can get it locally. One bag makes 55 gallons.

 

[bored4long]

How much is one bag? I might need 3 (90 gallon tank + 55 sump). I'm not sure how much of that room will be taken up with rock, sand, etc.

 

[mpoletti]

19.99 per bag. Are you cycling rock?

 

[kdblove_99]

get it from drs its like $43 shipped to your door and make i think like 160 gallons

 

[bored4long]

Mark, I'm not sure what you mean by cycling rock. Cycling new LR in the tank? No, I'm not buying any LR at this time (no $ for it).

I am trying to get some base rock cleaned this week to add to the tank on Saturday, but not sure if it will be clean of all the dead organic matter. If it cleans up before I setup the tank I will add it, otherwise I'll just cycle the rock separately in a garbage can....ah, I'll need more salt for that.

 

[mpoletti]

What are you using for a biological filtering agent?

Cycling rock is when you buy rock that is still "Ripe" and the dieoff creates spikes in Ammonia, the nitrites, and then nitrates.

 

[Eclectic Taste]

Hey, bored4long, I thought you bought a 75 gallon tank? If I missed a post my apologies. If you bought the tank you posted in the other thread, I don't thinka 55 will fit under the stand like you expect, a standard 55 gallon tank is 48" long, just like the 75. You may want to start searching for a smaller tank, like a 20 or 40 long.

P.S. My offer to come over & check out my system still stands.

 

[bored4long]

Thanks for looking out for me. The measurements on my other post are a typo. Its really 60" long and is a 90g. The 55 should fit nicely...just trying to figure out if the skimmer I'm getting will fit in there with it.

I'd love to check out your tank, just so dang busy these days. Maybe I can swing by after work one evening this week. PM me your #, k?

- Mark

 

[MrMikeB]

In my experience it is not necessarily a good thing to switch up your salt if you can avoid it. The composition is not the same which can have adverse effects on our inhabitants when you do switch if you do not phase it in slowly. You would be better off using the salt you want to stick with first.

The Drs are the best place I find to buy Reef Crystals. They can have it delivered before the weekend if you order today. If not, I have about 6 buckets or so unopened. I can sell you 1 for the same price since I regularly order the stuff online - just pick it up at my place in Fair Oaks.