How much water do you guys recommend putting it? I still have to add sand and rock which will add to the volume. What's a safe amount of water to have(once the sump is full).

I would add the full amount. A lot easier/cheaper/cleaner to find leaks with fresh water instead of saltwater. As you add rock/sand you will have to take some water out, but it's shocking how little water the rocks actually displace, they soak up most of it.

Nice setup so far, should do very well. I love that sump, should make life easy.

Hey thank you, appreciate the compliment. I'm learning regardless how much reading you do, you never feel ready to start the big steps of putting the actual tank together. If it weren't for the help of a couple specific people, I wouldn't have made it to where I am today.

You make a good point to make sure everything is running before adding any salt. Keeping fingers crossed!

Updates
 

Here we are. Turned everything on in the tank for the first time yesterday morning July 1st! let it run to make sure we didn't have any leaks, and now the salt has been added and waiting for it to clear up. These photos are from last night, so the tank is a bit clearer now than it was.

When the tank water was turned and accepting water for the first time, when we started filling
http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg



Tank finally full enough to overflow into the corner of the tank, and into the sump
http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/49...600x600Q85.jpg



Sump in full work for the first time
http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg



Initial salt mixing
http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/35...600x600Q85.jpg

15 mins later
http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg




I no longer have mini dunes of sand, it's just cloudy now.

hey, good to see your almost there Girly.....have you got your rock yet?

Sump in full work for the first time
http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg



Looking good:biggrin::, but do want to point out a couple little issues i see that you may run into in the future.


1) the output of the skimmer is really close to your return pump, not a 100% sure but i would bet you will have micro bubble issues in the display tank from this.

2) i didn't think the drains from the tank should be mounted that way, i almost think they should go in the black cylinder to the left of the filter socks. Here is my reasoning on this, the filter socks looks like they may be hard to take out and clean. From what i can see the drains should go in to the black cylinder, water fills up and than overflows into the socks. This will help in two area's, number one it should make the sump much quieter, number two there will be nothing in the way of pulling out the filter socks for cleaning.


thanks Dave

No rocks yet my darling! I have the sand to add in (HOPEFULLY) later this evening assuming my tank has cleared up. I'm in no rush to add it yet, tho I was told to add all the rock at once? instead of adding 20 lbs there, and 15 lbs there and so on. Thoughts?

One of the guys here on the forum has been absolutely amazing in guiding me and helping me set this tank up.



Removing the socks for cleaning is actually very easy. There is a great connection, which isn't visible in the picture that allows me to disconnect the PVC that connects to the socks.

Darling hummmm I'm the only one allowed to call him that :razz:

When you're first starting a tank it's better to add all the rock at once and have it all cycle at the same time instead of adding a bit at a time and have it cause new cycles as you go along. After the intial cycle is done and the tank has been running for awhile then it's better to slowly add more rock over prolonged periods of time if you want to, that way you adviod spikes in an established system.

The tank looks good, exciting to see water in it :biggrin:

You are kidding about the water. There have been a few bumps in the road, that have been really discouraging, so it is definitely very rewarding to be where we are now.

The tank after 36 hours of mixing:
http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg


I added the 2 bags of sand-tho I am now really wondering if it's enough? I added 2-40 lbs bags. Is it enough? I think I would rather have a deeper bed? benefit or bad for this tank?
http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

no expert here.. but.. if you want the sand just for the look.. perhaps thats enough.. if you want a DSB for the benefits of a dsb.. than thats not enough.. if your going ot have a really high flow tank for some inane reason<fuzzy stick addiction> that might be more than enough

and if i was on family fude.. the number one answer would be?

"if the reefer likes it it leaves it the way it is.. if the reefer doesn't like it it changes something that might be perfectly fine! for the better/worse of its tanks inhabitants."
ok im done, let the knowledgeable take over.