Best way to cycle new tank with old tank?

[BaileysTank]

So pretty much I’m upgrading from a 55gal to a 90gal.I’ve had my 55 for about 3 years and it’s very mature, I’ll be using everything from the frist tank in my new tank.in the tank tank I’m also adding about 50% more dry rock. Im just wondering if there is a good method to allowingy new tank to cycle quickly and proficiently.

 

[Jedi1199]

So pretty much I’m upgrading from a 55gal to a 90gal.I’ve had my 55 for about 3 years and it’s very mature, I’ll be using everything from the frist tank in my new tank.in the tank tank I’m also adding about 50% more dry rock. Im just wondering if there is a good method to allowingy new tank to cycle quickly and proficiently.

Do exactly what you plan. use everything from the current tank in the new one.

Save as much of the clear water as possible.

Check out my 135g build thread and you will see this is exactly what I did when I upgraded from my 55.

The 135 skipcycled immediately.

 

[BaileysTank]

Do exactly what you plan. use everything from the current tank in the new one.

Save as much of the clear water as possible.

Check out my 135g build thread and you will see this is exactly what I did when I upgraded from my 55.

The 135 skipcycled immediately.

Really?! I’m gonna check out your page for sure! I’m having trouble finding it could you send a link?

 

[landlubber]

while i agree with the above posters advice i'd probably be cycling that new rock in containers ahead of time. Pails, saltwater and a pump are all you need to get things going.

 

[Jedi1199]

Really?! I’m gonna check out your page for sure! I’m having trouble finding it could you send a link?

It is in my signature line.. but here it is for easier reference...

Build Thread - My new 135 build!!

As many of you know, I have a 55g mixed reef tank that I have been running for about 16 months. This is an exceptionally beautiful tank, and I am so very proud of what I have accomplished with it so far! Unfortunately, as my experience and knowledge has increased, so has my desire to add...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Do not use existing tank water. That does absolutely 0. Bacteria doesn't live in the water column, not enough to matter.

Be real careful with using existing media if you have aiptasia, hair algae, etc. You'll have it in the new tank as well because you'll introduce it.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Depending on how much live rock you move over, it should skip a traditionally cycle immediately. The only way it would not, is if you immediately had a higher bioload, than your old rock can manage.

Do not move over your sand, without washing it first. Half a bucket at a time, garden hose on Blast, wash all of the junk off until the water is clean. At that point, it's safe to reuse.

 

[Jedi1199]

while i agree with the above posters advice i'd probably be cycling that new rock in containers ahead of time. Pails, saltwater and a pump are all you need to get things going.

If this is possible, then by all means do it. I cured my rock for several weeks ahead of time but honestly, it didn't really help as much as I had hoped.

First, new dry rock is incredibly dusty. What nobody ever tell you is it is not a matter of just dumping dry rock into a can and filling it with water for a while. You need to swish that rock around and get as much of the dust away as you can. Then refill the can and do it again. Basically, you need to do at least 5 or 6 times to get rid of the dust.

Best to do this on water change day so you are using water that already has the cycling bacteria in it.

Next, this step is really only needed for dust removal on an upgrade build like this.

The current rocks have all the cycling bacteria needed to skip-cycle an upgrade build. Think about it... if it supports the life in a 55, it will support the same life in a 90, 135, 700 all the same. Assuming of course that you don't add anything new to the new build right away.

Also, if you plan to "cure" rock this way, you need to "ghost feed" that rock. What that means is you need to add food to the can of rock as if it had fish inside. You need a source of ammonia for the cycling process, rotting food will do that. This is a step that is also overlooked by many. Even if you use a few chunks of existing rock from your established tank, if you do not feed the bacteria, they die off.

 

[Jedi1199]

Do not use existing tank water. That does absolutely 0. Bacteria doesn't live in the water column, not enough to matter.

Be real careful with using existing media if you have aiptasia, hair algae, etc. You'll have it in the new tank as well because you'll introduce it.

Cough "BS" cough..

Where do you people get this misinformation? More importantly, why, WHY WHY on Gods green Earth do you parrot it as if it was fact???

There is most definitely cycling bacteria present in the water column. This is fact. It is not a lot, but it IS there. Using tank water for a "dark cure" will absolutely help with jumpstarting the bacterial system that is a cycle.

 

[Jedi1199]

Depending on how much live rock you move over, it should skip a traditionally cycle immediately. The only way it would not, is if you immediately had a higher bioload, than your old rock can manage.

Do not move over your sand, without washing it first. Half a bucket at a time, garden hose on Blast, wash all of the junk off until the water is clean. At that point, it's safe to reuse.

Disagree... I used my sand from my 55g entirely as is. Not a single spike in anything. My upgrade skipcycled, and never lost a fish or coral except the torch that was on its way out before I started.

Washing the sand will only remove all the microfauna that lives in it and set your stability back a few months...

Another misinformation point that we need to remove from the hobby.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Cough "BS" cough..

Where do you people get this misinformation? More importantly, why, WHY WHY on Gods green Earth do you parrot it as if it was fact???

Agreed, there Is bacteria of the correct type in the water. Also agree, it's not enough to make a bit of difference. There's more wisdom in using the salt again than a benefit of using the water For bacterial seeding.

The funniest part is that you're calling someone out for parroting, in the follow up sentence to using the term "misinformation" which is THE buzzword of the 2020's thus far, and is parroted left right and center when NOBODY really used it prior.

 

[Jedi1199]

Another comment on cycling bacteria not being in the water column.

If you think about it, the whole concept is ridiculous. If cycling bacteria could not survive in the water column, then how does bottled bacteria survive weeks or months in a bottle? Do you think they add a bunch of ground up rock to those bottles to make it work? It is bacteria suspended in a water solution with a food source added in.

 

[Crustaceon]

So pretty much I’m upgrading from a 55gal to a 90gal.I’ve had my 55 for about 3 years and it’s very mature, I’ll be using everything from the frist tank in my new tank.in the tank tank I’m also adding about 50% more dry rock. Im just wondering if there is a good method to allowingy new tank to cycle quickly and proficiently.

Just move everything over. You shouldn't have to cycle anything. Been there, done that a million times. You can rinse your sand but IMO, it really doesn't do anything noticeably positive that you can't just do with old tank water during removal. I'd siphon half of the water out and pour it into the new tank. Use the rest in the 55 to swish the sand/rocks before removal to get some of the detritus out and plop them directly in the new tank. Top off the rest of the 90 with freshly mixed new salt water. Reacclimate your critters to the new tank and call it good. The 90 doesn't, nor shouldn't be surgically clean when you start it and the little bit of detritus that makes it's way in is a good thing.

 

[X-37B]

I used old tank water.
This is how I did my 20g nano.
No cycle and corals added within days. Tanks 9 months now.
My build thread gives the details.
Thread '18" AIO Nano Cube Stag System' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/18-aio-nano-cube-stag-system.883090/

 

[Jedi1199]

The funniest part is that you're calling someone out for parroting, in the follow up sentence to using the term "misinformation" which is THE buzzword of the 2020's thus far, and is parroted left right and center when NOBODY really used it prior.

And WHY is "misinformation" the buzzword? Because of internet forums just like this one.

I could make a post saying that a Zebra is just a horse with stripes painted on it. If enough people read that and repeat it, it becomes a common thought. It is STILL incorrect, but people believe what they read on forums. It is rare that anyone who is learning a hobby like ours, will research every bit of information they get.

"Misinformation" is simply the most accurate word to describe what was posted.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

And WHY is "misinformation" the buzzword?

Because the media on both sides have decided to use it to mean "anything I don't agree with".

As we know, agreement is in low supply and "Misinformation" is now Everywhere.

 

[Spare time]

Do not use existing tank water. That does absolutely 0. Bacteria doesn't live in the water column, not enough to matter.

Be real careful with using existing media if you have aiptasia, hair algae, etc. You'll have it in the new tank as well because you'll introduce it.

Bacteria does live in the water column but not the cycling bacteria. Dr. Tim has a macna talking mentioning this since his specialty in research is nitrifying bacteria.

 

[Jedi1199]

Bacteria does live in the water column but not the cycling bacteria

False!!

Cycling bacteria is airborne. Just the same as yeast that makes bread, beer, champagne ect ect.

It IS in the water, no matter how much people say it is not.

How does it get to the rocks without going through the water?


As I said, it is not as much as what is in the rocks, but it IS in the water. And for the purpose of a "dark cure" there is more than enough to seed a bunch of dry rock.

PLEASE stop posting this falsehood!

 

[Dburr1014]

Disagree... I used my sand from my 55g entirely as is. Not a single spike in anything. My upgrade skipcycled, and never lost a fish or coral except the torch that was on its way out before I started.

Washing the sand will only remove all the microfauna that lives in it and set your stability back a few months...

Another misinformation point that we need to remove from the hobby.

Though I also used sand straight from one tank to the other, I see what they are saying. If your sand is clean, do it. If you think it's dirty or hasn't been cleaned in a long time, clean it, or clean most of it.
Like the other poster said, clean it in some of the tank water, just swish it around then use it.

 

[Jedi1199]

Because the media on both sides have decided to use it to mean "anything I don't agree with".

As we know, agreement is in low supply and "Misinformation" is now Everywhere.

And the biggest reason for this is people who read, take as fact and then repeat information that is both inaccurate and outdated.