Cycle question

[dalerich]

Where does the cycle take place? I know the tank. But more directly what are we doing here? If I take 20 Lbs. of live sand and 12 gallons of water from my 55 gallon tank already cycled and place into a 12 gallon Nano tank will I still need 3-6 weeks to cycle? I'm looking to place a poly into this 12 gallon Nano because it's weak and I think the hermit crabs are climbing all over it and causing problems. I would also leave my lights on in the nano so my poly has extra grow time. I figure once it gets stronger the hermits won't be able to bother it as much. I don't care about the algae because I can just dump the tank once the poly is stronger and recycle the tank for fish later. There will be no fish in the nano right now. I would like to set up this tank as kind of a hospital/recover tank in case a corral needs some time alone or a little extra attention. What do you think?

 

[ophiura]

It probably won't cycle long, if at all. Taking a subset from a mature tank usually does not result in cycling.
But understand that your polyp is probably dying - and hermits take advantage of this as we hope they do. This is why they are clean up crews...unless you have non reef safe hermits.
If it is dying, just giving it more light may not help if it is the wrong light. It comes down to a number of factors as to why it is dying in the first place.

 

[dalerich]

The polyp was bought as a mistake. Not a mistake that I bought it but a mistake that it was sold to me as a live rock at $9.00 per pound. This was back in the day of 30 Watts of light and a fresh just cycled tank. I know have 250Watts of light on the 55 gallon tank. So yes it is a dying coral but I want to try and bring it back. I was also sold a pure white anemone that has now become a very light tan to brown. In other words. It's doing great now. I would like to save this polyp like I did the anemone. I would think if my lighting was the wrong type it might have killed my anemone also.