Here's the schedule:
Tonight/Tomorrow - silicon baffles in sump (emptied it earlier today)
Next weekend - drill holes in the stand where the overflow is, plumb tank + sump, and depending on when my marco rocks arrive (if they ever do) I'll be filling it with water and putting the rock in
Rock process - once the rock gets here I'll fill the tank and sump, make sure the skimmer is running, and blast the heck out of the marco rocks with tunzes to get all of the junk out of the rock. I'll stay barebottom at that point in time to prevent things from settling in the sand and the sand being blown around by the tunzes. I'll have a few pieces of rock from John's tank to help "seed" this rock.
One week after adding rock - I'll be checking on the parameters and seeing how clean the rock is. If it passes inspection I'll be adding my sand, with some of John's sand to help seed it. I'm fully expecting this to start cycle #2, so...
One week after adding sand - provided the cycle is done I'll be adding critters from ISPF and Inland aquatics to get a jumpstart on the biological filtration/making sure my rock and sand is live.
One/two weeks after adding bugs - I'll be putting in corals. Zoas first, SPS probably a little bit later
One week after adding corals - It's time for my fish to move into their new home!
Once the sps start to encrust on the rock - I'll move my cleanup crew (or what's left of it) from the sump into the main display tank and will buy whatever else I need to clean up stuff. I know this seems a little backwards, but one of my pet peeves is painstakingly placing my corals only to have them knocked over by stupid snails!
A few weeks after that I'll probably add my lavendar tang and will slowly add the remaining fish
So, in answer to your question, I have about another month, maybe a little longer, until I have a functioning reef tank
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