new tank. 100% nutri-seawater

[ussj4brolli]

Okay guys I just got a 75 gallon tank and just got 18 orders of 4.4 gallons of nutri seawater, and a hundred pounds of their live sand.

1. Do I need to get cured or uncured live rock how much and what kind? I went to a place in town here in Reno Nevada that has live rock, that look beautiful, cured. I see all kinds of little critters poking their heads in and out of the little holes.

2. My tank also has a place in the back that is exactly like a bio cube in the rear. What else should I place back there besides a heater and possibly a protein skimmer that I can either put in there or a HOb Skimmer because I only have 3 inches width to work with.

I'm up for any ideas. My water should be delivered Thursday or Friday.
https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0B8XuU8_nLOq7aEJrRDN1T3RCRE0/edit

 

[thegrun]

If the rock is truly fully cured and you keep it wet during transportation you could theoretically add livestock right away, but I would still advise on waiting at least a couple of weeks to be sure there will not be enough die-off to start a new cycle and kill your livestock. If you use the uncured (upcycled) live rock you will need to wait 4-6 weeks for the tank to cycle before adding livestock.
As far as the back of the sump goes I would start with two 150 watt heaters. Using two heaters at half the need wattage each is good protection against a heater malfunction, they tend to stick in the on position when they fail which can quickly cook your tank, using two half wattage heaters gives you some time to spot the problem before it becomes a disaster. Besides a skimmer you can add carbon in a bag and GFO down the line if algae becomes an issue. Both carbon and GFO work better in a reactor, but placing them in a fine mesh bag gives you some of the benefits without the expense of a reactor.

 

[ussj4brolli]

No bioballs or any other, maybe new technology? Chemi-pure elite? Floss?

 

[ussj4brolli]

The last section is large. I'm thinking I should put quite a bit of large rock or pebble back there too