question about cycling

[cinnamongirl]

I just set up a 6g nano in my office and have a question. If I use live rock rubble from my established sump with sand and water from my established tank, will it actually cycle? Or is it cycled? The rock was in my dark sump, so it's dead looking, but there's life in it, I'm sure. Same with the sand. It's about 1/2 from my DSB in my reef and I added 3 cups of dry.

Thanks!

 

[Sanjay]

Yeah, you can pretty much consider it cycled. Although you will still get a bit of the new tank nuisances like diatoms, cyano and algae.

sanjay.

 

[cinnamongirl]

Thanks, Sanjay
I should know that, but it threw me off a bit. I started my other tanks all from dry, so I wasn't exactly sure.

I'll post pix in a bit!

 

[dweakl01]

Like Sanjay said, it'll go through a cycle but it should come fairly quick...2 - 4 days. After you see the nitrites hit zero... time for a water change, then you're all set.

 

[ganomish]

Nice Frags from Reading.

Nice Frags from Reading.

Hey Cinnamongirl,
The Bacteria living on the rock.sand, (non photosynth stuff) is what is already established and will quickly start to process your Ammonia/Nitrates etc...

By the way, Thanks for the GSP and Kenya tree at the Reading Swap. All doing Great!!! Great GSP, nice long green tentacles.


Aquapod 12 with New Additions

Cheers
Fred

 

[cinnamongirl]

Great tank, Fred! I'm glad you liked your purchases! How in the world do you control that macro, btw? I have some calerpa in my 46g and have to take a handful out every week just to see through it!

 

[ganomish]

Apod 12

Apod 12

Thanks Vicki,
Yeah, I actually chop out a handful every week or so.

Funny though, the Halimeda is what is growing so fast. I just have at it on the weekends with my plastic play-doh scissors and snip out a small handful. Otherwise it would have covered the surface months ago. I really like it since it is so easy to control and doesn't go asexual. Once in a while I even epoxy a little bunch or sprigs together and plant it in the sand just for some color.

The caulerpa, I have been keeping down to just one strand. One of these times I will cut it back too far and kill it.

I don't have any kind of 'fuge on my little 12 gal, so I try to keep the macros growing to help with water quality. Seems to be working. The GSP and Kenya tree seem to be liking my stock lighting.

Cheers
Fred