moving my tank cycling question

[ichiromariners]

I just recently moved out of my moms house and still have my 55 gallon there up and running with just a clown fish in it. I have set up a 29 at my new place and took some of the sand and live rock from my other tank to this tank to help it cycle. My question is will the moving of my live rock and sand cycle my new tank? I am going to wait 3-4 weeks to move the fish and rest of the sand and live rock over. I moved the sand in salt water and moved the live rock dry in a bucket to hopefully cause some die off in it. Also my old tank was up for 2+ years and its been a while so when should I start my testing for ammonia etc.?

 

[ichiromariners]

bump

 

[arkey.d]

If ya didn't use the water from the old 55gal tank, then you will most likely see the 29gal cycle.

 

[viper_930]

Originally posted by arkey.d
If ya didn't use the water from the old 55gal tank, then you will most likely see the 29gal cycle.
Water doesn't contain the beneficial bacteria that we look for in the cycle. That bacteria grows on surfaces like LR, LS, etc.
You would probably still see a little cycle, but maybe not depending on how much of the old LR and LS you used. Either way I think you should wait at least 1 more week.

 

[mbrands]

I would disagree since most of the beneficial bacteria is housed in your filter, live rock and live sand. If your LR didn't have much die off from the move, there might not be a cycle (or at least not much of one). I cycled my 55 with LR from an online vendor and I had a 10 day cycle . . . very short for cycling a new tank.
I'd start testing the new tank within a day or two. If you don't get an ammonia spike, there was no cycle in the new tank. If you end up not having a cycle, you should be able to add your other LR directly, without curing it.