<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12953720#post12953720 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OgreMkV
BTW: I talked it over with Richard and we're going to try again with a full package. I really wanted black sand in my tank, but I guess it isn't to be. Now it'll be like everyone else's... sigh.
Anyway, I'm going to finish cleaning the tank tonight. Reset it up. And start mixing saltwater in it. I ordered another skimmer (Remora with the maxi-1200) and hopefully will have it Friday. I've got another 45 gallon rubbermaid bin in the studio and will mix up a huge batch of emergency change water. Plus my 2 7 gallon transport jugs. That'll give me up to a 133% water change from day one. Of course it takes about 3 days for my RO unit to fill the big tub...
So watch for the 2.0 thread coming soon.
Orge
Am back from diving and now have time to tell you like it is!
Your sitting wondering, geeze, I spent all this money.....watched my tank have a meltdown, the wife is mad at me as I smelled up the house, all my rock died, WHY ME???!!!
All the other people here in the forum with tanks have had success with TBS rock, and their tanks are cycled and happy.....WHY ME???!!!
The answer is very easy....is like baking a cake....you have to use the right ingredients....for it to come out right.
Just like redwarrior....whose tank is VERY small.....when she contacted me and said she was ready to go, had her live sand and needed the Package, minus the sand,......I told her......nope, will not work you need live sand to make this tank happen, or you will have problems.....she ditched most of the sand and I sent her REAL live sand with the first 1/2 of her Package.
She still issues with the cycle, but not a meltdown as enough bacteria came in the sand to get though the cycle even though she kept some of the bag sand she had.
Had ALL real live sand been used as I stress to everybody, she may have not had much of a cycle issue at all, as in the case of about 90% of the Packages I set up. Most folks get little or no ammonia problems on part one, baring any other unforeseen issues, like the shipment being delayed for days, or getting hot at the airport, or the rock being mishandled by dipping it in fresh or hyper salinity baths, ALL bad things for real live rock.
The problem with your tank was this:
"I really wanted black sand in my tank, but I guess it isn't to be. Now it'll be like everyone else's... sigh."
Being like everybody else is not a bad thing when you end up with a happy and healthy reef tank.
For years I simply would not sell my rock to folks who would not approach the tank set up procedure correctly....that is follow the recipe for the Package, and do as the instructions state.
Folks wanted to use their own sand, or bagged sand, or beach sand....ALL the wrong things to use in your reef tank...you MUST use real live sand with my rock, if you want a happy tank. The rock is too alive to subject to an environment other than one it has a chance to survive in.
But after being yelled at a few times for being a "jerk" for not selling them rock for their tank, which I knew was going to create problems, I gave up....and did as you are supposed to "the customer is always right" attitude. But I may rethink that stance now again.
This is why on my web page it says NO SUBSTITUTIONS to the Package allowed......is not for me, but for the customer to have a happy tank in the end.
And it needs to be noted for those who got in this thread late....your tank was not a Package order, but just rock, to set on that black sand. Had you gone the Package route, I am sure the outcome would have been a bit different!
Although that is not to say you can't add my rock to an existing tank successfully, as you can, and I have customers do it everyday, but it HAS to go into an ESTABLISHED reef tank with correct water parameters for the rock to be happy........so there it is...hope this was not too much of a rant,..... could have been that dang Jewfish today that swam up on me from above today and scared the bejezzzes out of me diving!
And on that note...is my policy not to let anybody fail....as it is so easy to have a happy tank, following protocol, thus my offer to you to send you the REAL live sand and rock again at no charge, as the end goal here is a happy you, and a happy tank!
sea ya
Richard TBS
:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:
