Planning a pico coral aquarium

[Redbird5]

When I started my adventure into saltwater fish and coral, I bought a 2.5 gallon pico aquarium. I quickly outgrew it. I got a 45 gallon aquarium, but I miss having an aquarium in my home office. I'd like to set up something simple with maybe a hammer coral, or zoas and mushrooms, shrimp and small fish, something simple I can watch during my work day.

Unfortunately, the motor in the pump died and I've not replaced them yet. I'm hoping by November I'll get them replaced. I'm planning ahead.

I have a lemon peel angel in my 45 and I'm not sure he wouldn't decide that the coral I add to the aquarium would be a tasty snack. He leaves my toadstool coral alone. I'm not sure I'd want to chance a hammer coral.

Since I have an established tank I intend to use some water to get the bacteria in the aquarium, I also have some live rock from my aquarium, I'll use as well.

How long do I need to cycle the
aquarium since I'm using water that has bacteria in it before I add coral?

 

[JumboShrimp]

I don't think the water will do the trick nearly as efficiently as sand or rubble rock from the old tank; if you don't want to use that old sand or rock permanently in your new tank, maybe put it in a mesh bag that you can remove after the new tank had been sufficiently seeded with the mature bacteria strains. That's my 2-cents. Share some photos when you are up and running.