unclenedsfishfactory.com

Sorry I posted this in the wrong forum..... "Nothing to do with fish"

I'm just about to cycle my 55gal SW tank. Last thing I need is sand. Now I'm a college student so I don't have a lot of $ to spend. So I was thinking of doing 50/50 with the sand, about 40lbs of Bio-Sand and 20-30lbs of White or Pink sand.

Sorry for all these questions.... but I wanna do this tank right!

I do plan on having 2 Lawnmower Blennies and various inverts that will be sifting the sand (plus about 3-4 fish). How should I layer the sand? White/Pink sand on bottom and Bio-Sand on top? Or visa versa? I've read that about once a month I should lightly stir the top layer, is this a good idea? My tank came with a plastic grate at the bottom (it's removable) what is this for and do I need it?

During the cycling process what percentage of water and how often should I change the water?

Also a friend told me that you guys sell a "Cleaner Crew" for SW tanks to help get the tank going. How much is that package and should I get those guys pre or post-cycle?

I'm just about to cycle my 55gal SW tank. Last thing I need is sand. Now I'm a college student so I don't have a lot of $ to spend. So I was thinking of doing 50/50 with the sand, about 40lbs of Bio-Sand and 20-30lbs of White or Pink sand.

Sorry for all these questions.... but I wanna do this tank right!

I do plan on having 2 Lawnmower Blennies (YOU CAN ONLY HAVE 1 UNLESS THE TANK IS VERY LARGE , THEY FIGHT)
and various inverts that will be sifting the sand (plus about 3-4 fish). How should I layer the sand? (DOES NOT MATTER, IT WILL BE ALL MIXED INSIDE 3 MONTHS.)
White/Pink sand on bottom and Bio-Sand on top? Or visa versa? I've read that about once a month I should lightly stir the top layer, is this a good idea? My tank came with a plastic grate at the bottom (it's removable) what is this for and do I need it?
(I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A DEEP SAND BED TANK,
I'VE NEVER RUN A TANK WITH THIS METHOD, BUT IT'S SOUNDS LIKE A SYSTEM DOOMED TO FAIL. THE IDEA I THINK IS TO HAVE ANEROBIC BACTERIA IN THE DEEP SAND, WITH WHICH IDEALLY RESULTS IN ZERO NITRATE.)

During the cycling process what percentage of water and how often should I change the water? I SUGGEST CHANGING WATER 20% PER MONTH, BUT IT VARYS ON BIO LOAD AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

Also a friend told me that you guys sell a "Cleaner Crew" for SW tanks to help get the tank going. How much is that package and should I get those guys pre or post-cycle? THE MORE SCAVENGERS THE BETTER, RED LEG HERMITS ARE $5 EACH, SNAILS $2 - $5 EACH DEPENDING ON SPECIES. SAND SIFTING STARS ARE ABOUT $15, SEA CUCUMBERS ARE ABOUT $12 EACH. YOU CAN GET AS MANY AS YOU WANT.

Ok so there is no need to use more bio-sand than regular sand because eventually the whole sand bed will be "bio-sand".

I plan on cycling the tank with 20lbs bio-sand & about 20lbs-30lbs of White/Pink sand. About 30lbs of dead LR. Once cycled I'm going to buy about 20lbs of your cured rock, so I'll just be able to add it to the tank without having to cycle or cure it.

Do you know what that plastic grate is at the bottom of my tank? Do I need it?
When should I put the crabs, stars, cucumbers etc... in the tank?
Pre-cycle or Post-cycle?

er...
I think your making this too complex

get fish tank
put water in fish tank
get water pumps going
put appropriate ammount of salt mix in water
let salt mix dissolve minimum of 2 hours
(test on hydrometer ... should be aprox 1.024)
put cured live rock in tank (ideally 1 pound per gallon)
put a little of whatever sand in tank
wait maybe a day
put a few cheap inverts and a couple cheap fish in (we have saltwater mollys right now)
if nothing falls over dead add a few critters and corals every week
...do testing at least twice a week...keep notes
...most impotant tests are
temperature (ideal 75 F)
ammonia (should be zero within 2 weeks)
nitrIte (should be zero within 2 weeks)
nitrAte (below 40 is okay, below 20 is great)
pH (minimum 8.2, max 9.0)
salinity (aprox 1.024, depending on which of a thousand articles you trust)
...good to know is
alkalinity (ideal high),
calcium (ideal medium...I forget the number),
phosphate (zero)

The plastic grate is probably to keep the bottom sand unstirred and anearobic...which is a method I haven't tried and cannot comment on...except to say I don't plan to try it.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... so it is that easy
Ok I thought I had to wait until the tank cycled to put inverts in there.... thanks a lot

I'll be there either this weekend or next weekend for some inverts