Cycle question

[schadiest1]

I am starting a 16 gallon bow front tank. If I am using LS, LR and water from my other tanks, will the new tank need to be cycled?
Both of my other tanks have been up and running for almost 2 years.

 

[milomlo]

Yes you still have to do a cycle. However if you are using LR/ LS from an established tank the cycle may not take long at all. My 29 gal cycled in 1 week. I used 15# base rock and 15# LR from an established tank. The rock had coraline algea on it already. You will go through a small cycle but it may not be much. You could go ahead and add a raw shrimp to it for a day or so just to give you the ammonia then take it out.
That is what I did, I only left it in there till it started looking pink and got a little fuzzy. About 8 hours I guess. Then I took it out. Make sure you don't let you ammonia get to high so that you don't kill the stuff on your LR.

 

[bang guy]

Your tank will start out with most of the bacteria populations it will need from the live sand and rock.
It's won't be a normal cycle but you still need to wait for the tank to stabilize. Feed the tank a daily dose with a small pinch of fish food to feed the existing bacteria. If no Ammonia is present for two straight weeks then it's ready for its first hardy inhabitant.