Welcome to your new tank! It's time to set it up. The full Aquarium Academy video course that was included with your 12g Tank Kit will be available soon! The never before seen CoralFish12g videos in this course are packed with all the information you need to setup and maintain your very own reef tank, the right way.

Check out the first episode now to guide you with setting up the tank and equipment. The rest of the episodes will release all together shortly!

Now that your tank is out of the box, here are a few more actionable steps for you to take before the rest of the course is released!

1. Adding Sand & Rock

It's important to add about a 2 inch thick layer of sand to your new tank, as it will hold a lot of beneficial bacteria. Live sand is best because it already contains bacteria. If you added on sand to your Aquarium Kit, you will have live sand.

When adding your rocks, you can use glue or putty to create a rock structure if you wish. 

You'll also want to make sure that you leave enough room between your rock and the walls of the tank to make cleaning easy and leave room for flow.

2. Filling You Tank With Water

There are 2 options to filling your new tank with water. The first option is to go to your local fish store and buy pre-mixed salt water for your tank. The other option is to mix it yourself. 

To mix your own saltwater, go to the grocery store and buy distilled water. You will then add aquarium salt to it until the salinity level reaches 1.025

Make sure to pour the water over your hand while adding it to your tank. This will prevent the water from becoming cloudy. Cloudy water can take days to clear up, so taking the extra time to pour carefully is worth it!

If you're mixing your own saltwater, add cups of salt to your tank after filling it with distilled water. Turn your pump on by plugging it in to help dissolve the water. Don't test the salinity level until the salt is completely dissolved.

Continue this process until your hydrometer or refractometer reads 1.025!

3. Cycling

Now that your tank is filled, it's time to cycle it. You can speed this process up by adding TurboStart, which was included with your Aquarium Kit.

After pouring the TurboStart into your tank, it will take about 24 hours to cycle. Be sure to keep your lights OFF during the entire cycle to avoid any unwanted algae growth.

5. Topping Off

You may notice the water level in your tank going down. You will need to top off your tank, which means to add more water to it. Make sure you are only topping off your tank with RODI or distilled water, because salt doesn't evaporate! 

Dramatic salinity fluctuations can have a negative effect on your fish and other livestock so It's very important to top off your tank to keep your salinity level consistently at 1.025!