Cycling New Tank from Old Tank

[bigpa]

Hi all,

I recently set up a tank that someone else had running up until a week before i bought. I have it all set up with live sand, dry rock, and then I used bio media from my other tank to help with the start up. Also used microbacter to get some good bacteria in there. The tank has been up and running just over a week now. In your experience would it be safe to add 2 clownfish and some corals? Or should I add clownfish and wait on coral? Or wait on both?

Thanks!

 

[dwair]

Hi all,

I recently set up a tank that someone else had running up until a week before i bought. I have it all set up with live sand, dry rock, and then I used bio media from my other tank to help with the start up. Also used microbacter to get some good bacteria in there. The tank has been up and running just over a week now. In your experience would it be safe to add 2 clownfish and some corals? Or should I add clownfish and wait on coral? Or wait on both?

Thanks!

Honestly you need to test your parameters. Thats the only "safe" way to know if you are already cycled or have more to go. Test for Ammonia priority (can even get an ammonia badge from seachem). Then test your nitrates/nitrites. If your ammonia and nitrites are 0 and I'd say nitrate under 20, you are safe to add clown for sure, as far as coral you can probably add 1, but remember patience is key, so take it slow, if you add a huge bioload super fast, you are going to overload the fresh bacteria you have in there and harm all the new livestock.

 

[bigpa]

Honestly you need to test your parameters. Thats the only "safe" way to know if you are already cycled or have more to go. Test for Ammonia priority (can even get an ammonia badge from seachem). Then test your nitrates/nitrites. If your ammonia and nitrites are 0 and I'd say nitrate under 20, you are safe to add clown for sure, as far as coral you can probably add 1, but remember patience is key, so take it slow, if you add a huge bioload super fast, you are going to overload the fresh bacteria you have in there and harm all the new livestock.

Guess ill break out my test kit. Thats what i leaning to doing. I believe I added the clown in my other tank (same set up except for the used bio media) after about 2 weeks and all parameters were good.

 

[dwair]

Guess ill break out my test kit. Thats what i leaning to doing. I believe I added the clown in my other tank (same set up except for the used bio media) after about 2 weeks and all parameters were good.

Yea the "true" way to know if you are cycled is if your tank can process 2ppm of ammonia in 24 hours. The ammonia can be added in a mulitude of ways, if you look under the Reef Chemistry section of this forum, there are a TON of stickies with alot of good info if you get some free time to read. Otherwise just keep asking questions!

 

[bigpa]

Yea the "true" way to know if you are cycled is if your tank can process 2ppm of ammonia in 24 hours. The ammonia can be added in a mulitude of ways, if you look under the Reef Chemistry section of this forum, there are a TON of stickies with alot of good info if you get some free time to read. Otherwise just keep asking questions!

Perfect thank you, I also did use the caribsea arag-alive sand which claims to prevent any large spikes but who knows lol.

 

[bdehlin]

I just did something similar with a tank upgrade, and I didn't add anything until my water parameters we're good.

 

[dwair]

Perfect thank you, I also did use the caribsea arag-alive sand which claims to prevent any large spikes but who knows lol.

The sand definitely has good bacteria in it that will help, but I wouldn't depend on it as your only source of bacteria. Like I said, just doing some testing over the next couple of days and you will know :)