Starting up new 90g

[Antec]

Well I went to my lfs today ready to buy LR and LS, but was a little shocked. The guy tells me not to waste my money and just buy 80lb of base rock and no live sand just regular. And then tells me to fill up my tank with hose water( obv dechlorinate first) and then mix with salt. Now I know from reading through these forums that you should buy at least 50/50 live to base rock and sand, and never to put tap water in the tank( now I don't know if this applies only to already running tanks.) te guy told me that all the base rock and base sand will become live within a couple months.

So my question is, is the only drawback to what he said just waiting longer during the cycling phase?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Get 90% baserock and 10% live rock just to seed the other rock. Cycle your tank with mysis cubes, its quicker.

 

[Antec]

so i wouldnt be able to fill it with tap water correct?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Will with RO water

 

[Antec]

thats the thing, the lfs store owner told me it was ok to fill it up with regular tap water, just hose water, for the first time

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

I would never do that, but thats just me. I have heard of people doing it that way, but id rather do it with regular ol RO water

 

[Antec]

will the minerals in the tap be harmful to the 10% LR? And will the minerals in the regular tap eventually be removed by the filtration system?

 

[Grizz]

Yes. Dont add live rock untill you have mixed salt water. The minerals will be absorbed by the rock before the filters can remove them, then it will slowly be released back in to the system. Better to avoid Tap water right from the start.
The LFS will be more than happy to sell you stuff to get rid of the algae caused by all those minerals in tap water.

 

[Mrc8858]

Imo I have nothing against using tap on your first fill up because it will take roughly 1/4 the water usage (if making your own RO) and when its ready and cycled you'll be doing large water changes to bring your parameters back down which at that time only use RO