Same day transfer questions

sogdog · 2026-10-24T15:36:12-0400

Bought myself a nuvo int 200 for my 40th. I’m excited to get it. I do have to completely take down my old reef and move it before I can even start setting up the new tank.
I was considering putting the fish in 5g buckets with air stones.
As for cycling, I’m bringing over 4 mature genesis rock. I was considering putting a single live rock from the existing reef into the refugium. What’s the risk of hitchhikers? I do have aiptasia in my tank, but between planning to add new corals and a cbb in the new tank I’m not super concerned. I also have wrasses and a uv. How much risk do you think there is in transferring live rock? I haven’t seen anything I’d consider a pest other than 2 small aiptasia. Any comments with their experience or ideas would be helpful

Decamicron Labs · 2026-10-24T17:55:25-0400

Are you mainly concerned about hitchhikers or whether they could handle the bioload? Where are the rocks coming from? Somebody else's aquarium or your current one?

sogdog · 2026-10-24T17:59:46-0400

Decamicron Labs said:
Are you mainly concerned about hitchhikers or whether they could handle the bioload? Where are the rocks coming from? Somebody else's aquarium or your current one?

From my own aquarium, the one that’s been running for 5 years. I’m bringing 4 genesis rocks and maybe 1 live rock. I’ve done as thorough of an inspection as I can, and as far as I can tell I only have minor aiptasia and turf algae.

Bioload will be a concern but I’m also dosing microbacter xlm, as well as transferring some corals and macro algae and copepods. All from my current tank

Decamicron Labs · 2026-10-24T18:11:43-0400

sogdog said:
From my own aquarium, the one that’s been running for 5 years. I’m bringing 4 genesis rocks and maybe 1 live rock. I’ve done as thorough of an inspection as I can, and as far as I can tell I only have minor aiptasia and turf algae.

Bioload will be a concern but I’m also dosing microbacter xlm, as well as transferring some corals and macro algae and copepods. All from my current tank

Well to be honest you'd know better than any of us whats in your tank. If you have something that will eat the aiptasia and keep the algae in check you should probably be fine in that department.

I am, however, very concerned that you are going to crash your tank. I'm not sure what a genesis rock is, but 5 rocks isn't a lot. CBBs and wrasses also have very high bioloads. What size is your original tank and what fish do you have? Is there no way you can transfer more rocks and sand?

sogdog · 2026-10-24T18:17:06-0400

They are just ceramic blocks. Supposedly each one can filter 350g. I’m not entirely sold on that claim. So I have 4 of those, Pom Pom, at least 1 live rock, my current broken in skimmer (regal 150sss), filter socks/gac/purigen. I also will be dosing Microbacter xlm and keeping a water change ready. Current set up is maybe around 150g. So similarish.
I could transfer more rock or just have it sit there to seed the tank and remove it later. I’m just not convinced it’s super necessary. Although part of that is assuming the broken in skimmer will work from plug in. So maybe I should transfer more

Decamicron Labs · 2026-10-24T18:27:54-0400

sogdog said:
They are just ceramic blocks. Supposedly each one can filter 350g. I’m not entirely sold on that claim. So I have 4 of those, Pom Pom, at least 1 live rock, my current broken in skimmer (regal 150sss), filter socks/gac/purigen. I also will be dosing Microbacter xlm and keeping a water change ready. Current set up is maybe around 150g. So similarish.
I could transfer more rock or just have it sit there to seed the tank and remove it later. I’m just not convinced it’s super necessary. Although part of that is assuming the broken in skimmer will work from plug in. So maybe I should transfer more

There are several chemical processes at play here. The main one is your nitrogen cycle. In general, fish produce ammonia, which is converted to nitrite, and then to nitrate. If significant amounts of ammonia and nitrite accumulate, you will have dead fish on your hands very quickly. Your skimmer removes some types of organic carbon, which is something different.

The conversion of ammonia eventually to nitrate is performed by bacteria that live on the surface of things in your aquarium. I don't know what the claim of 350g is purporting, I am guessing the manufacturer is saying the blocks has enough surface area to support that much nitrifying bacteria theoretically. However, this doesn't say there will that much nitrifying bacteria inside of each block.

I would suggest putting your fish with a decent amount of cycled rocks and sand from your current setup into multiple 5 gallon buckets. Try and keep as much rocks, sand, and media as possible. Right after setting up your new tank, I would dose ammonia to 0.5-1ppm into your new tank, not the buckets. You can buy ammonia from amazon specifically for fish tanks. Fritz and Dr. Tims are good brands. After 24 hours, if ammonia and nitrite in your new tank are 0, it is safe to add your fish. If not, you need to add more cycled rocks. Your bottled bacteria could help, but its more useful in seeding, not immediately establishing a cycle.