Quick start new 5g reef tank with my current tanks water?

[Eug40]

This addiction is strong...

As if currently cycling a new aio unit wasn't enough, I decided I want to use my empty 5g to hold some of my corals. Can I just dump 5 gallons from my current tank along with some of the rock and mechanical filtration(i run a canister) and start? Or do I still have to do some sort of cycling..

 

[allendehl]

Is the rock live? You mentioned you're cycling your tank now so if you are planning in using the same rock it may have to wait until that cycle is complete.
An alternative will be to buy a small amount of live rock. For a 5 gal tank you need just a small piece and you won't even need to cycle it.

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[Eug40]

Is the rock live? You mentioned you're cycling your tank now so if you are planning in using the same rock it may have to wait until that cycle is complete.
An alternative will be to buy a small amount of live rock. For a 5 gal tank you need just a small piece and you won't even need to cycle it.

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No, I have an established tank and started to cycle a new tank. I want to take 5 gallons out of my established tank along with some rock and some mechanical filtration and put it in the empty 5 gallon to move some of my coral over. Wouldnt it be ready to go as its kind of an offshoot of my original tanks conditions?

 

[sde1500]

Water is just water. The bacteria mostly live on and in the rock and sand. So you may get the tiniest of boosts but you'll need to cycle the tank still. Only surefire way likely skip a cycle is with good live rock and sand.

 

[mcgyvr]

As stated there isn't much bacteria free floating in the water column.. Most is surface dwelling..
But you also stated to bring in some rock (and even canister media).. That will most certainly have large colonies of bacteria on it and can certainly jumpstart or even negate the need to cycle..

In general you need enough bacteria to quickly process toxic ammonia into its lesser toxic forms..
The only variables here that are tough if not impossible to answer are really how much ammonia can whatever amount of rock you introduce quickly process..

 

[Eug40]

As stated there isn't much bacteria free floating in the water column.. Most is surface dwelling..
But you also stated to bring in some rock (and even canister media).. That will most certainly have large colonies of bacteria on it and can certainly jumpstart or even negate the need to cycle..

In general you need enough bacteria to quickly process toxic ammonia into its lesser toxic forms..
The only variables here that are tough if not impossible to answer are really how much ammonia can whatever amount of rock you introduce quickly process..

But if I take the water, rock, and media into the tiny 5g, doesnt that replicate the conditions? What ammonia is there to cycle? I feel like its equivalent to putting an isolation holder in your tank.. Am I missing something?

 

[mcgyvr]

But if I take the water, rock, and media into the tiny 5g, doesnt that replicate the conditions? What ammonia is there to cycle? I feel like its equivalent to putting an isolation holder in your tank.. Am I missing something?

The end of my comment was really just a CYA...
I did stated that you will likely have little to no cycle earlier on..

Then I tried to just give a bit of information and sort of say "no guarantees" though..
We do not know how much rock you are bringing in or how much media nor do we know how much bacteria is on it nor how much ammonia that bacterial population is capable of processing.. Maybe you were only going to bring in one tiny rock (1/2lb or less)...maybe you also want to put 10 fish in there at the same time thus substantially changing the bioload.. Again it was just a no guarantees statement..

In general if you bring in close to 5lbs of rock and transfer a canister filter over there should be more than enough bacteria there to negate a need cycle..

I've transferred everything from a 40g system into an 80g system and many others without having a cycle..

 

[AlSimmons]

No, I have an established tank and started to cycle a new tank. I want to take 5 gallons out of my established tank along with some rock and some mechanical filtration and put it in the empty 5 gallon to move some of my coral over. Wouldnt it be ready to go as its kind of an offshoot of my original tanks conditions?

Pretty much...

I'm not sure how big this established tank is, but I'm assuming it's larger than 5 gallons so all your really doing is downgrading. People do this all the time without any problems.