cycling question

[akhanf]

Hi I just got my new 120 gal filled with new saltwater and dsb. I'm going to be adding all my live rock from my old 55 gal (~70 lbs); since these are already filled with bacteria etc, will the new tank still go through a cycling process?? I'd like to transfer my existing livestock as soon as I can..

Thanks for your help!

 

[dchao]

Transfer the LR's quickly, don't let them dry up. After a few days, when the sand storm settles down, you can introduce the fish back in slowly. You need to turn on your ER skimmer too, that will be needed in order to export fish wastes since the sand bed doesn't have the nitrification bacteria in it yet. To speed that up, you can take some live sand from existing tank and transfer into the new tank.

 

[Blown 346]

If you have any water left int heold setup I would use a good portion of that.
Otherwise you can avoid the cycle by doing what your doing.

 

[Spuds725]

It might, it really depends on what you have growing in the rock.. some sponges are very sensitive to air... you can minimize the chance by keeping the exposure of the rock to air at a minimum.. I've moved rock several times with no ammonia spike at all-- my rock was out of the water for 3 or 4 minutes tops.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6728787#post6728787 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blown 346
If you have any water left int heold setup I would use a good portion of that.
Otherwise you can avoid the cycle by doing what your doing.

Not really... the majority of the bacteria grows on surfaces and is not in the water... if you don't have any issues with the old water (nitrates or what not) then I'd move it... it shouldn't affect whether you get a cycle or not..

I moved my rock and fish from my 72 to my 135 without issues--- the new tank had almost all new sand.

 

[dchao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6728788#post6728788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725
Not really... the majority of the bacteria grows on surfaces and is not in the water

That's why I recommended to take a few scoops of live sand from the old tank. :dance:

 

[Spuds725]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6728802#post6728802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dchao
That's why I recommended to take a few scoops of live sand from the old tank. :dance:

you are preaching to the choir...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6728788#post6728788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725
....the new tank had almost all new sand.

meaning I moved some old sand over...

 

[dchao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6728833#post6728833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725
you are preaching to the choir...



meaning I moved some old sand over...

 

[akhanf]

Thanks for the really quick responses! The rock won't be out of the water longer than a minute since the tanks are pretty close to each other, so I should be ok there.