New tank setup with established ecosystem

mastertech

mastertech

Member
i like to input when i can, i like to joke when i can but sometimes i think I need some serious input.
ok. i know about the endless tank cycle.
i also know about the new tank cycle.
lets say..... i would like to setup another tank (14g bio) and i have cleaned out all the componants that will be associated with that tank to perfection.
i would like to use xx lbs of live rock, xx number of bio-balls and xx gallons of water and xx lbs of sand from my 125 gallon display tank.
would i be able to add CUC and possibly a little food to it and avoid the damaging cycle?
ask questions and i will try to clearify. just in brain storming at this point.
i think im missing something in this theory......
 
kingsmith

kingsmith

Member
If this is all happening in the same place and the rocks wont be out of water long at all you should be fine but using the sand could be an issue since it will be stirred up when you take it from your 125 and put in the cube maybe just grab some new sand
 
mastertech

mastertech

Member
Originally Posted by KingSmith
http:///forum/post/3183119
If this is all happening in the same place and the rocks wont be out of water long at all you should be fine but using the sand could be an issue since it will be stirred up when you take it from your 125 and put in the cube maybe just grab some new sand
AHHH. thanks i knew i was missing something from the equation.
new clean sand (not live) would reduce ammonia spikes.
any other input?
 
socalnano24

socalnano24

Active Member
Originally Posted by mastertech
http:///forum/post/3183124
AHHH. thanks i knew i was missing something from the equation.
new clean sand (not live) would reduce ammonia spikes.
any other input?
I belive you would want new live sand (which would imply cleaner than what may be accumulated in an established tank). [However you can use a portion of sand from your established tank to help introduce some additional populations from your tank], I've heard a cup or two is good.
 
mastertech

mastertech

Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3183246
I'm not sure I get the question. Can you ask it a different way?
my goal would be to completely avoid the new tank cycle and add fish and or coral asap.
would this be possible with water/rock/bio-balls/cheato/fish/coral from my display tank. is that understandable/possible
 
socalnano24

socalnano24

Active Member
Well I think they have bag dates and expiration dates, so you can tell how fresh it is. I believe the live bag sand has bacteria and worms in it.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Originally Posted by mastertech
http:///forum/post/3183249
my goal would be to completely avoid the new tank cycle and add fish and or coral asap.
would this be possible with water/rock/bio-balls/cheato/fish/coral from my display tank. is that understandable/possible
Okay, gotcha. Yes, you can avoid a cycle. I've taken stuff from my old tanks and combined it with new sand and it never recycled. But then I've also had ones that did. The ones that recycled showed signs of it pretty quick. So, where you can't predict which will cycle and which will not, I would wait at least a week and test it with a little table shrimp or another source of ammonia.
I seed my tanks with SuperBac nitrifying bacteria. When ammonia shows up, I pour it in and the ammonia disappears.
 
mastertech

mastertech

Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3183256
Okay, gotcha. Yes, you can avoid a cycle. I've taken stuff from my old tanks and combined it with new sand and it never recycled. But then I've also had ones that did. The ones that recycled showed signs of it pretty quick. So, where you can't predict which will cycle and which will not, I would wait at least a week and test it with a little table shrimp or another source of ammonia.
I seed my tanks with SuperBac nitrifying bacteria. When ammonia shows up, I pour it in and the ammonia disappears.
thanks. i did plan on testing for at least a week to assure no toxic level spikes. if i found spike i would wait. if not i would add something cheap and test more.
now you said "new sand" is this what i was just refering to. "bagged live sand" or clean new sand with no live or dead attributes only mineral composition.
 
mastertech

mastertech

Member
Dry Aragonite would work. and just a little live sand from my tank (about a cup) to help the pod population and bacteria population.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Originally Posted by mastertech
http:///forum/post/3183272
thanks. i did plan on testing for at least a week to assure no toxic level spikes. if i found spike i would wait. if not i would add something cheap and test more.
now you said "new sand" is this what i was just refering to. "bagged live sand" or clean new sand with no live or dead attributes only mineral composition.
I just wouldn't tear all the sand out of an old system and put it into a new.... your definitely getting a spike that way.
I've used both dry and the live bagged stuff. Now I go dry and add the SuperBac
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
my own two cents. what you are doing is basically adding a new disconnected area to you old tank. now lets look at the sand situation. IMO you are NOT going to get an ammonia spike by stirring up your old sand. What you may see is an increases in nitrates. I would remove the amount of sand i wanted to transfer and put it in a bucket of tank water and test for nitrates.
Now just because you have live rock in your established tank it does not mean you have establishment nitrifying bacteria colonized on it to handle the new bio load from the new tank.
again IMO do the transfer use as much of the sand from tank one as you like (check for nitrates). Try to add a piece of mechanical filter media from tank one. slowly add organic matter to brake down and monitor. Chances are you have introduced nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria in to tank number two and you will increase these colony's and not see a spike
I just wouldn't tear all the sand out of an old system and put it into a new.... your definitely getting a spike that way.
Why is that definite
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Okay, not definite.... just definitely what happened to me when I took apart an entire tank and moved it across the hallway. I got ammonia and the works. Happened twice. Then I stopped moving the sand with and I never had a problem. In the last 4 years I've moved all these tanks way too often. 2010.... the final move.
I don't know the logistics of it... never really thought about it, but the ammonia was there.
Maybe I killed off enough of the biofiltration in the sand by moving it, that is now couldn't handle the normal amount of ammonia that it once could?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Maybe I killed off enough of the biofiltration in the sand by moving it
I agree the only way IMO you would see a ammonia spike is if you compromised your bio filtration
 
socalnano24

socalnano24

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3183544
I agree the only way IMO you would see a ammonia spike is if you compromised your bio filtration
You know Joe, I originally was frustrated at some of your cynical responses to posts. {particularly if I was the one being called out with bad advice!}. But your always dead on after I've gone through and double checked research. Its good to have an old salt like you keep the rest of us more beginners in check.
 
mastertech

mastertech

Member
Thanks folks, i appreciate the input. it seems as if this will be just as simple as i first assumed. i will obviously test before killing fish. most likly at least a week.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Its good to have an old salt like you
who the hell are you calling old ? and as far as the salt I use it as a preservative. Don't let this get around but I love this hobby and the people in it. If in my own way I have helped someone then I have done my job. I am sure Neil you are doing the same

BTW I don't even know what cynical means
 
socalnano24

socalnano24

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3183708
who the hell are you calling old ? and as far as the salt I use it as a preservative. Don't let this get around but I love this hobby and the people in it. If in my own way I have helped someone then I have done my job. I am sure you are doing the same

BTW I dont even know what cynical means
hahaha, don't worry i didn't mean beyond an experienced SW hobbyist! I suppose sarcastic would be a better way of wording it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top