Filling my 120 Gallon Saltwater Aquarium,

[AquaAlexCardinale]

Hello. I've been filling my 120 gallon aquarium with my water from my 29 gallon saltwater tank. The water I've been doing water changes with. Will this speed up the cycle and I do plan on adding atleast 30 percent fresh new saltwater. Will this allow me to add fish in February? I am setting it up New Year's Eve and going to add my live sand and rock.
Thanks.

 

[lmforbis]

It will have little impact on the cycle. Cured live rock will speed it up though.

 

[geridoc]

The bacteria you need to cycle the tank are found only on solid surfaces, not in the water column, so using water from the 29 gallon system will not have much of an effect, other than raising the nitrates a little (which is generally not a good thing, but not a disaster either). Adding live rock usually produces a soft cycle in which ammonium levels don't rise since the bacteria in the rock consume it all. This will work if you very gradually add your stock tot he tank so that the bacteria have an opportunity to expand the colony to accommodate the new bioload.

 

[bang guy]

I agree. While there is bacteria in the water, it's not much compared to the surfaces. There's no real reason to reuse old saltwater.