Time to add some life to my setup.
I purchased a 50 Gallon DD Reverse Osmosis unit, and the additional option of a DI resin pod. It was easy enough to install beneath the kitchen sink on screws using the mounting holes on the back mounting plate.
The unit was supplied with a garden tap connector that I screwed into the washing machine valve. The washing machine valve has a tap that allows you to turn the water on and off.
I have found that I can fill a 25L container in 3 hours with our water pressure.
The reason I added the additional DI pod is because it ensures that the TDS value is zero. This helps to remove anything in the water that will cause algae in your tank...although it is not the only thing that will cause algae.
Live Rock
Working on the guidance of 1kg of live rock per 10L of water, I bought my 10kg from Maidenhead Aquatics.
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Live rock is essentially ocean rock that is supporting living organisms, most of which become an important part of your filtering system in your tank. However, the drawback with live rock is that there are also potential hitchhikers that may come with it which you will need to deal with so that they do not become detrimental to your system.
Despite the drawback, I decided that I would like to use live rock because of the positives.
And so it begins...
The powerhead is a Hydor Koralia Nano which attaches to the glass .
I liked the idea of white sand, so added 4kg of TMC coral sand, which was also surprisingly cheap.
I had the option of buying live sand, but the live rock would 'seed' the sand eventually anyway.
Salt and salinity
I had decided from the outset to use Red Sea Coral Pro salt which I found very easy to mix.
To attain a salinity of 35, you fill a bucket with 10L of RODI water which is preferably at room temperature, then weigh and pour into the water 382g of salt. I then mix this by hand with a large spoon and it completely dissolves in about 10 minutes.
I have bought a DD refractometer to accurately measure salinity.
Testing and Test Kits
From the outset I had decided to be as self sufficient as possible. By this I mean that I do not have to collect water from my local lfs, and I don't have to rely on my lfs to test my water for me. For this reason I invested in the Salifert Test Kit range.
These test kits are relatively well priced in the market and have very good reviews.
Although there are a few easier options to cycling a tank immediately now, I decided to take the long haul and monitor the nitrogen cycle. I was surprised to find the my cycle was complete in just over two weeks.
I can only put this down to the minimal die-off on the live rock as I transported it from my lfs to home.
The longer you have live rock out of water, the more life dies on them, which means they become slightly less effective initially. The remaining life on the rocks then has to repopulate in order to complete the nitrogen cycle...which is why this can take up the 6 weeks to complete or more.
A TDS pen is also quite a good investment. This will allow you to measure the Total Dissolved Solids on the output of you RO unit. As I installed the DI resin pod with my unit, the reading is always zero. I know the resin is exhausted and needs replacing when the numbers on the pen begin to climb.
Cycle completed and things are progressing...
Right, I'm 6 weeks in. In that time I have had a diatom bloom as expected, found some unwanted hitchhikers and dealt with them quickly to prevent them from spreading, added another powerhead to break the surface of the water for gaseous exchange, purchased a magfloat glass cleaner to make my life easier...and added fish and coral.
I could continue and post thousands of pictures of all the corals I've added, and the fish I've chosen, but the purpose of the blog was always to give an insight into what the Kent Bio Marine is like to setup and use, and to give an idea of the costs involved in setting one up.
Having gone through the process, I do have some thoughts to share on the next page.....
