New to saltwater - how do i start?

[Dori]

Hi there! I just found this site and it looks like it might be my new home page
I have had freshwater tanks for years and just lost ALL my fish in the big storm we had up here in Washington a couple weeks ago... no electricity for 5 days = dead fish.
Anyway I was in Petco to stock the tanks again and decided I just gotta try the saltwater which I have been wanting to do for 10 years. I have a 40 gallon hexagon and am going to use this. Here is what I bought:
40# of live reef sand
50 gallons of Instant Ocean
A Marineland bio-wheel filter
A couple new odds and ends..... inconsequential to my question...

So, can I put the water in my newly-sterilized tank then add the salt then the sand? Do I need to use a specific order for adding this or that?

Ehow.com says to do it like this: use bleach on everything although the girl at the store said just don't use anything that was in my old tanks. Then add the filtration system, then rocks and plants. Next mmix the salt solution 1 bucket at a time measuring with a hydrometer to ensure it is between 1.02 - 1.023. Fill the tank and add the heater and thermometer. THEN run it for 72 hours then "cycle it" (I thought the 72 hours was part )of cycling... what IS cycling??) Now, add fish. After that you buy a powerhead and a protein skimmer.

Is that all accurate? It seems like browsing the web I came across some variations. Sorry this is so long, and I am fine to wait for a general consensus from some expereinced salt-water-ers. I am going go get my 30 gallon freshwater going.

Thanks!!!

[jd@ga]

Hey Dori! Welcome to the forum! Here goes... You can use bleach to clean tanks, filter parts(not media) and powerheads. Alot of ppl do ,then again I don`t I just use warm tap water. You can use all of your f/w equipment in your s/w tank.
I would put l/r in first (if your gonna use it) then sand all around the l/r, this helps keep the l/r still and keeps diggers from going under and knocking over your rocks. Then mix up your salt with r/o or distilled water (I personally would do it in a bucket first) ,but you can do it in the aquarium just follow directions on the bag and adjust using hydrometer. If you do mix in a bucket sit a empty bowl in the bottom of the aquarium and pour into bowl to fill up . Make final adjustments after the water has warmed up and turn on the powerheads. Wait a day until the cloudy water has cleared up then turn on your filter(s).
Then comes the fun part you get to WAIT ,not 72 hours unless you want to start the wrong way. Think more like months , I cycled my tank with nothing in my tank for a couple of months. Do your monthly (20%) water changes while cycling and wnen your algae bloom appears add a few crabs and snails and a couple of weeks add the second wave of cleaners then repeat again . After about 3 months you can start adding a fish every couple of weeks, careful not to overstock s/w fish have differ rules of tank stocking than f/w. So you asked for the right way here it is... I know it is painful to think about but it`s the right way . If you follow these rules you will save yourself alot of headaches and cash down the road.

[Dori]

wow thanks JD! I needed that bit of info for sure. lol the girl at the store said I could come back for fish in 10days! and that live rock doesnt go in until after a couple weeks at best. Of course, she has just set up her first 15 gallon saltwater. I had always heard even my 40 gallon was basically too small.... what do you think about that (now that I already bought all this STUFF)

[jd@ga]

Hey my tank has been set up for over a year and it`s a 30gal. You can have smaller tanks but they are VERY unforgiving with mistakes and quick changes. with a 40 hex you could fill that thing up with l/r almost to the top and buy some small fish and you would have a kickass r/t!
Dori read around on this site and get a good feel at what you really want to do before you make any moves and keep us posted. If you have anymore questions please ask there are a lot of knowledge on this site. I`m glad I helped and if I left anything out please forgive me it`s late.

[Tommy Gun]

If I could add a bit here......

I would put the water in the tank, get it all tested for leaks and such, and then get it up to the right temperature. I would run all of your lights for a day or so , with the filters, pumps and what ever is normally going to be going on. That will help you figure out exactly what the tank temp will be. My tank runs by itself at 80 degrees and I only have the heater in the sump just in case it drops below 75 degrees.

Anyways, my point here is that the salinity will change with the water temp so mixing up 10 buckets of saltwater at the same salinity could become a problem once the water warms up. My method was to do what I said above and then add the salt, letting the powerheads and filters (but I dont have any) mix the salt water up for me. I tested and tested for salinity until I got really close to what I wanted, and then put in live rock.

If you get the water too salty, just take some out and add freshwater to dillute things. I know that sounds like common sense, but it baffled me for a little while at first too.

[Dori]

Thanks Tommy!
Here is where I am now:
Last night I got it "up and running". Anyone can tell me where they see holes in my plans cuz I get VERY conflicting info from my Petco. It turns out it is a 30 gallon tank, not 40. Hexagon. I put in 40 lbs of the ready-to-go type of sand. 2 heaters, one on each side. (wow was that really necessary?) I put in a Fluval 205 canaster filter. I put in (whatever was recommended #-wise) of the salt. what else? I had to buy a new lamp so I bought a 15" aquarium -spectrum flourescent light. A few fake coral things and a fake plant for now.
So I got it filled last night but that filter is sure not the throw over the back kind eh? It started the first time I measured it at over that recommended #, but is all the way high by now. Tomorrow I'll test it again and replace some.

Thanks so much for all your advice, you guys are great!

AND hey I started up my first-ever african cichlid tank! 30 gallon rectangle. Lovin being back into the fish. I have been reading great stuff here!