Quick Cycle Possible - ???

windlasher

Member
I may be going on a 12 month assignment about 6 hours away from home. My current tank is a 600 gal system (2 tanks + sump + Frag Tank) all one system and about 18 month old.
I want to grow some coral frags while I am there. If I buy a 100 gal system there, can I take about 50 gals of water, lots of rock and some sand in containers with battery operated air pumps with me, can i consider my new tank relatively cycled or do I have to start over?
I know the sand might start a new cycle, but I want to put about 100 pounds of sand in my sump for about a month and that is the sand I will take rather than mix up the sand from the established DTs.
Thanks in advance?
-WL
 

rotarymagic

Active Member
What you'll have to do is make sure you keep all your sand and live rock under water..
add the sand first with only about an inch of water above it in the new tank.. let the sand settle for a few hours then put a dinner plate on the sand and add salt water on top of it slowly to not stir up the sand too much...
then fill the tank about half way slowly. then add the rock and try not to stir the sand too much... fill the rest of the water... add the power heads.. add the lights..
The tank should cycle within a week maybe 2 days. Just wait for the nitrate spike and diatom bloom!
 
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