when to move a nem to a new tank

[TOURKID]

maybe you guys can help me out a little bit..

I have a 45 gallon tank thats 13 months old. 50 pounds of very alive rock, 2 clowns, a 8 inch or so bta, and coral

I have a brand new 90 gallon tank that I put 50 pounds of base rock into. Completely white and dry when i got it, but Im noticeing some dead spounges in some crrevices and stuff now that its in the tank.

I need to move the 50 pounds of live rock over to the new tank as well as all the critters

should i wait and see if a cycle starts? can there be a cycle since its all base rock?

Should i move my live rock over to the new tank a few pieces a week, or move everything at once including critters?

Its been up for almost 4 days, nitrate and amminia are zero

I plan to do the first water change tomorrow, but instead of using fresh mixed salt water, i am going to use the water from my reef tank (10 gallons) then wait another 6-7 days and use reef water agian

I know my nem needs a mature tank, so how should i go about this whole thing?

thanks for any opinions and advice

Maggie

 

[davocean]

I'd add some sand and a piece of rock or 2 to seed new tank, and then check after a week or more.
Old water, and maybe a little fish food.
Then after a week or 2 add more rock from established.
Cycle should go fast this way, then add everything.
I have to do this soon too, let me know how it goes.(I just dropped off my 180 to be polished, mine starts in about a week)

 

[davocean]

By the way, when I do mine, I'm starting w/ a new sandbed, but I'm going to take the top 1/2" of my old and put that on top.
I'm going to try to do this w/out stirring up old sandbed too much.
I think that and some LR will move cycle pretty fast.

 

[TOURKID]

i used all new sand and put a few cups of my reef sand in so far.

but guess what. Ive got myself a cycle! ammonia - 1.5 nitrite - .25 so i guess ill wait a while before i add my good live rock.

I threw some mysis in the tank a few minutes ago too.

 

[davocean]

I am soooo dreading moving my nems that have been in the same spot almost 5 years now.
I bought my new tank just for them.
THEY BETTER MAKE IT!!!!

 

[TOURKID]

im not to happy about moving mine to a'clean' tank. but i had to move 6 months ago, it was attached to a tiny rock, i placed the rock at about the same location after the move and it was just fine. dident move at all

 

[TOURKID]

ugh. yuk. so i did about an 8 gal water change today. took 8 gal out of the 90 and it was the grossest yellow color. replaced it with reef water. this is going to take awhile it seems. I dont even want to put even lil liverocks from my reef right now, its gross in there. doing another ammonia test right now, turning green pretty darn quick