whats the worst that can happen?

[reef tank 2.0]

If I have a new tank that is up and running right now (as of yesterday), and I dont have live rock or anything to start the bacteria stage.....................whats the worst that can happen? Will I be harming anything by letting the tank run (heaters, skimmer, reactors, and powerheads)?

I will be picking up a piece of live rock Thursday night from a LFS (Coralpets.com) that I will be using to cycle the tank.....Will my tank be OK for the next couple days running as is?

 

[Fiver]

I'm new but I did the same thing. My live rock and many hitchhikers were totally fine. Good luck.

 

[MondoBongo]

it will be fine. no worries.

 

[jrp1588]

You're asking if anything can be hurt by letting the equipment in a completely empty tank run? What is there to get hurt? haha

 

[reef tank 2.0]

well...........ya
ive never had a salt water tank before and im afraid of the fact that i can hurt my sand/rock/water with no "life" going on at the moment.......

just throwing it out there

 

[Gagonzalez]

It's perfectly fine. Great time to stabilize temp and get the current circulating.

 

[jrp1588]

You'll be fine. I cannot think of a single negative outcome for this. Maybe your equipment will get a couple days worth of unnecessary wear and tear. Your electric bill might be a few pennies higher.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

well, im dreading the water bill.....ive went through a lot of water the past 2 weeks checking for leaks, draining,fixing, and checking again........then draining and refilling with the salt water........oh boy....thats almost 600 gallons of water..........oh boy

now that thats over with. I topped off my salt water bin and fresh water bin last night. so they are in reserve for when i need them.........top off and water changes

 

[uncleL]

I would order your rock online Pulkani....more for the $$ and then add some live rock from your LFS after the tank has cycled.

 

[Reef Frog]

Running like you describe won't hurt the equipment or anything else. However adding live rock piece by piece will extend your cycle time. IMO it's best to set up all the rock you're going to use into a aquascape you like and will support the kind of tank you want to keep.

Might as well do it all at once and get the cycle going. I see no advantage to doing this part piece by piece.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I would order your rock online Pulkani....more for the $$ and then add some live rock from your LFS after the tank has cycled.

I actually ordered rock that is very similar to reef saver rock. I'm not looking for much live rock, just something I can throw in my sump to start the cycle. Won't be in my display tank. I might try and fit a small one in the dt depending on how it looks. But right now....no

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I will post a pic tonight. The rock and sand is already in place. No modifications or additions to be done. Only using the LR to cycle it faster

 

[billdogg]

I will post a pic tonight. The rock and sand is already in place. No modifications or additions to be done. Only using the LR to cycle it faster

"No modifications or additions to be done."

Sorry Shawn, but that there is just downright funny. I've been modifying and adding for almost 30 years now and I'm nowhere near done yet.:lolspin:

 

[reef tank 2.0]

Ha ha. Allow me to rephrase....no additions or modifications AT THIS TIME

see my texts Bill?

 

[kmbyrnes]

Your water bill will not go up that much.

I currently have 100,125, and 40 gallon tanks running and use about 20 gallons of RO/DI plus 40 gallons of saltwater weekly.

My most recent cost is below.

Oct 2015 Water bill
Total Gallons 5000
Total : $56.97
Cost per gallon billed: 1.1 cents per gallon.
Assuming 4:1 ratio in my RO/DI unit, that's just 4.4 cents per gallon of RO.

Salt will be a much larger expense.

For more read this: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2377301

 

[randomfishguy85]

The only problem i can think of is water displacement. You fill your tank and sump with water and get all the equipment running, and then once you add sand and rock the tank floods because you didnt account for how much the water level would rise.

 

[Sk8r]

You'll want to stop everything and !watch your sump level! during power off and draindown. Add your rock piece at a time, and dump water as needed. If you haven't added sand yet, do wash it, if dry, until it runs clear---and that alone can take all day and a whole lotta water. Your rock should really go in first (best pieces on top) before the sand. If you've already added sand, squidge rock as far down as you safely can. DIgging fish can really cause a rockslide if rock is only resting on sand, and a rockslide can endanger your glass.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I have already done these steps, here is the tank as of right now. I will be buying LR tomorrow night to get this cycle started.

ignore the bucket on the left, that was there just in case

and no, the thermometer will not be staying int he display tank as shown. that is there till i can get the temps figured out. right now i have the heaters set at almost 80, but am only getting the temps to read 76......so still tampering with that.

 

[azcrazy]

can put a raw shrimp to start cycle and some bactiria(from store) to help

 

[reef tank 2.0]

But how much would those two items help in addition to having the LR?