Getting back with a 75gal

[one-fish]

Had to breakdown my SW FOWLR 55 gal tank due to medical issues, good news all better for now and didn't lose any fish. snails and hermits yes..So back out for second go round with a new 75 gal Plan is to reuse all equipment from 55 gal which has got me thinking about the rock some of the rock went into the 10 gal QT tank with 2 clowns and a coral beauty and have been housed there I hate to say for about 2 months now,the remaining rock was freshwater washed and stored in one of my SW water storage trash cans completely dried out now Plan is to reuse that also I was thinking would it be beneficial to make up some fresh SW and fill the trash can with the dried rock add a power head and some of the rubble pieces from the 10 gal to help seed it with some of the bacteria's needed to recycle the tank.I realize it will not become true live rock but should be somewhat beneficial??. toward the process once I setup my 75 gal could actually use the water from the 10 gal WC's also and periodically test the water parameters prior introducing it to my new set-up maybe along with a little ghost feeding. Guess what Im trying to do is save some time in cycling since I had troubles the first time just trying to use what I have on hand to help out in the future is this feasible? I know that I will need to buy some good LR at start-up
Currently have the new 75 gal tank full of FW testing out the HOB overflow to figure the sumps new water levels and flow rates so far so good /there,, Many THX...Plan is to go back FOWLR w/ some inverts,macro in the sump

 

[beaslbob]

sounds good.

I would macro algae in a refugium (even just s simple tank partition) .

my .02

 

[one-fish]

Well that's my plan making up some SW now. and will add just a small amount of rock from the 10 to the dry rock and we'll seeThx...

 

[beaslbob]

FWIW my old 55g had 60-160ppm nitrates (api test lit LOL) and problems until I crammed in egg crate about 3" in front of the back glass and added 2 2-tube fluorescent utility shop lights behind pointing forward. I used chaeto and caulpera between the egg crate and back glass. nitrates dropped to unmeasurable in 3 weeks and phosphates followed a few months later. Meanwhile, my tangs were constantly munching on the macros that poked through the egg crate, smaller fish would go through the grids and feast on pods, and the tank was much easier to maintain.

Funny but that ~$30 addition had the most effect in establishing a healthy, stable system that recovers from my mistakes.

Oh yes no water changes either. Tank ran for 5-6 yes.

my .02

 

[one-fish]

Yes cultivating macro algaes are the way to go and not to difficult to do I Have all the dry rock on hand submerged in SW soaking now for two days w/ a power-head and air-stone ghost feeding daily used a small rock from the QT w/ the 2 clowns and CB also now will just keep feeding, testing and wait Plan is to maybe seed the dry rock with the right bacteria's to aid in cycling will look at LFS for some good LR soon and maybe a cup of sand too just trying to learn from my mistakes the first go around took forever to complete a cycle

 

[one-fish]

After sometime soaking the dry rock from my previous 55 gal and ghost feeding Took a couple of tests Am amazed at what I'm seeing My last tank cycling took months before I saw those levels mostly due to my mistakes What I'm trying to accomplish here is to seed the dry rock so I'm able to rehouse 2 clowns and a coral beauty into a new 75 gal from their current 10 gal QT set-up which they have been crammed into for a couple months now Just trying to get a jump start on cycling the 75 before I bring it in for set-up From what I see let Amm. and NO2 zero out be looking at NO3 big WC and I could set-up 75 use all rock from 10 gal w/ the rock in trashcan along w/the livestock from 10 gal
set-up up and should be be fine after re- testing to confirm theory

 

[beaslbob]

sounds like it's coming along

 

[one-fish]

After sometime soaking the dry rock from my previous 55 gal and ghost feedingView attachment 3343 Took a couple of tests Am amazed at what I'm seeing My last tank cycling took months before I saw those levels mostly due to my mistakes What I'm trying to accomplish here is to seed the dry rock so I'm able to rehouse 2 clowns and a coral beauty into a new 75 gal from their current 10 gal QT set-up which they have been crammed into for a couple months now Just trying to get a jump start on cycling the 75 before I bring it in for set-up From what I see let Amm. and NO2 zero out be looking at NO3 big WC and I could set-up 75 use all rock from 10 gal w/ the rock in trashcan along w/the livestock from 10 gal
set-up up and should be be fine after re- testing to confirm theory

Retested today and amm. has zeroed but nitrite still at.25ppm going to wait little longer for those to drop as well before I move all into my new 75 gal new stand with sump hope, all goes well don't see why I cant rehouse my fish safetly with this plan BTW did buy 40lbs live sand to help along While I'm at the LFS buying more salt will look at some LR and macro
algae

 

[john rambo]

Sounds like you have some solid knowledge and are taking all precautions. Best of luck with the 75. I recently bumped from a 46 to 65 and had similar cycling results. I think a little cured rock, old filter pads, and old tank water go a long way to boosting a tanks cycling process.

 

[one-fish]

Many Thx john waited couple days and both amm. and NO2 both zeroed Moved 75 gal inside yesterday all went well fish are fine actually had 3 hermits survive didn't like the live sand only because it was fine as dust which it did create had to get the turkey baster out just to stir it up again Lol better now so I'm happy guess It's off to LFS to get a good piece of LR and macro for the sump Thx again !

 

[one-fish]

It's been up and running for a week now all seems well water is great little high in the salinity but that's an easy fix Bought more LR and caulpera macro while I was there saw a nice fox face but know to wait till my tank matures and starts growing algae before I can have one. I know all to well that will happen and hopefully won't become problematic like the last time also added 12 sand-sifting snails and 2 more small hermits going to research out the diamondback watchman goby another fish on my wish list but probably need a culture of pods before that purchase as well

 

[lmforbis]

You need to have a pretty mature tank for the diamond goby. It isn't as much the pods as the life in the sand bed that needs to be established for a sand sifter. They often starve to death.

 

[one-fish]

exactly what I determined after research need to wait it out NP still looking at a buying some pods liked the first batch I got