I currently have a 29 gallon saltwater fish tank that is doing very well and the live rock is covered with corraline algae. I just got a 55 gallon saltwater setup but the live rock i got has been sitting out of the water for a few weeks now so its not so much live anymore. I plan on upgrading my 29 gallon to the 55 gallon. If I add my rock and little bit of the dried live rock, would my live rock seed the dead live rock? How should I go about getting the 55 gallon tank ready?
live rock?
- Thread starter skeeter01
- Start date
Geodriller
New member
yes, your LR will seed the dry.
What do you mean by "get the 55 ready"? More details
What do you mean by "get the 55 ready"? More details
Geodriller
New member
what do you currently have in the 29?
Geodriller
New member
the fish will be the easiest, inverts and corals may get upset with the switch, but IMO the best way to do this would be:
1. fill up the new tank with 20g fresh SW. Place the dry rock in that and a powerhead and oxygen. maybe even a heater if you have an extra.
2. Place a piece of LR from existing tank in the new to start the seeding process. let it sit for at least a week or two.
3. As long as everything looks good, check Salinity, temp, pH, etc.. When you get both tanks to equal parameters, add everything (including all water) from the 29 to the 55. it is very important to make sure that pH, temp, and salinity are very close.
This would be ideal, however if you do not have the time/equipment, you could probably get away with doing it all in one day. Just make sure you use everything from the old in the new (water, LR, LS)
1. fill up the new tank with 20g fresh SW. Place the dry rock in that and a powerhead and oxygen. maybe even a heater if you have an extra.
2. Place a piece of LR from existing tank in the new to start the seeding process. let it sit for at least a week or two.
3. As long as everything looks good, check Salinity, temp, pH, etc.. When you get both tanks to equal parameters, add everything (including all water) from the 29 to the 55. it is very important to make sure that pH, temp, and salinity are very close.
This would be ideal, however if you do not have the time/equipment, you could probably get away with doing it all in one day. Just make sure you use everything from the old in the new (water, LR, LS)
I would be very leery of throwing everything in the new tank together in one day. The dried rock will probably have a lot of die-off, which could create a serious ammonia spike. I support the idea of putting the dried rock in the big tank with a piece of live rock from the small tank, then waiting out the cycle and performing a big water change before moving the animals.
Geodriller
New member
I hear you. I just figured that he had alot more LR than dry rock. He also mentioned that the rock has been dry for a few weeks (at least three). If this is the case, the LR should be able to handle the load as alot of the die-off has mostly decomposed.
