Starting a new Frag/reef

quicksil328 · Mar 6, 2017

Ok guys, I need some advice again. I have been helping my two boys with a new stand alone frag/reef build over the past several weeks (pic attached). We got a nice deal on a 45 gal RR peninsula tank, set it on top of a DIY stand, added a 20 gallon long sump with a SCA 302 skimmer, and a reef octopus varios 2 return pump. We have two 54 watt AquaMaxx Nemo led lights (Thanks Adam) over the tank. We filled the tank yesterday and got everything running. We are definitely going bare bottom with some egg crate lifted off the bottom to keep up circulation. My question is about cycling. The boys want to add some small fish but want to concentrate mainly on coral, specificaly LPS because they like some of the movement of torches and the like. My question is should I cycle this like I did my display tank? Should I add a few pieces of rock from my system and feed the tank some to get a cycle going? Any help would be much appreciated.

Goat · Mar 6, 2017

quicksil328 said:
Ok guys, I need some advice again. I have been helping my two boys with a new stand alone frag/reef build over the past several weeks (pic attached). We got a nice deal on a 45 gal RR peninsula tank, set it on top of a DIY stand, added a 20 gallon long sump with a SCA 302 skimmer, and a reef octopus varios 2 return pump. We have two 54 watt AquaMaxx Nemo led lights (Thanks Adam) over the tank. We filled the tank yesterday and got everything running. We are definitely going bare bottom with some egg crate lifted off the bottom to keep up circulation. My question is about cycling. The boys want to add some small fish but want to concentrate mainly on coral, specificaly LPS because they like some of the movement of torches and the like. My question is should I cycle this like I did my display tank? Should I add a few pieces of rock from my system and feed the tank some to get a cycle going? Any help would be much appreciated.

I'm fairly new to this (1yr exp) but if you setup another tank and immediately switch mature LR from one tank to the other you shouldn't see a cycle if your bioload isn't higher than what the bacteria on the LR can handle.

Good looking setup though! I want a frag tank, but need a stable QT system first.

Mo-sachi · Mar 6, 2017

You can also fill it up from your Display tank after a water change and get an almost immediate cycle if any. I did this method (75/25) when I went from 220g to 93g Cube and had an almost non-detectable bloom that lasted 2 days. Fish and corals were added immediately after water temp stabilized. Just my opinion. It worked for me.

quicksil328 · Mar 6, 2017

That's what I thought too Goat. Mo-Sachi....I already filled the tank with new saltwater so I was thinking of just taking a piece of rock from my display and maybe adding some new rubble just didn't know if that would be enough.

saltnewb · Mar 6, 2017

I see that you already filled it with a new mix of saltwater, I would think that if you threw in a piece of LR from the main tank, you'll get die off, much like any new tank and throwing in a piece of LR from your LFS direct from one of their tanks. Might want to also add some tank water from the main tank at the same time to add the goods, but I'm only a couple months into my saltwater tank journey, so my thoughts are limited by my lack of experience.

Mo-sachi · Mar 6, 2017

quicksil328 said:
That's what I thought too Goat. Mo-Sachi....I already filled the tank with new saltwater so I was thinking of just taking a piece of rock from my display and maybe adding some new rubble just didn't know if that would be enough.

I would suggest taking at least 50% of the new saltwater in the frag tank and exchanging it with Display Tank water. I do not think placing LR or Rubble in it with fresh saltwater will help too much. You will have die off, like @saltnewb stated. Hope all goes well. Please keep us updated as we are always looking to learn something out of our passion.

Goat · Mar 6, 2017

Mo-sachi said:
I would suggest taking at least 50% of the new saltwater in the frag tank and exchanging it with Display Tank water. I do not think placing LR or Rubble in it with fresh saltwater will help too much. You will have die off, like @saltnewb stated. Hope all goes well. Please keep us updated as we are always looking to learn something out of our passion.

I guess my question would be if you put 50% of DT water in the frag tank and add LR from the DT how is that different than doing a 50% water change in the DT with no die off? I'm curious because I plan on doing this too, but I assumed it would be good to go or an almost unnoticeable cycle.

saltnewb · Mar 6, 2017

The water in the the frag tank is new, just like when you do a WC in your DT you're using new water to put into the DT tank. It's like the water made a pitstop on it's way to the DT tank. The bacteria and nutrients that are need to prevent the die off will be in the water itself, not on the LR, and because the nutrients/bacteria are in the water, the LR keep getting fed.

Goat · Mar 6, 2017

saltnewb said:
The water in the the frag tank is new, just like when you do a WC in your DT you're using new water to put into the DT tank. It's like the water made a pitstop on it's way to the DT tank. The bacteria and nutrients that are need to prevent the die off will be in the water itself, not on the LR, and because the nutrients/bacteria are in the water, the LR keep getting fed.

I understand the process. I'm trying to understand why using the same live rock and 50% DT would be different than a 50% water change. It's no different than a QT the bacteria you need is on the LR. There would not be a substational amount of bacteria in the water to keep a tank going, that's what the LR is for.

quicksil328 · Mar 7, 2017

I am leaning towards just taking the long route and cycling like a new tank. I just did a water change in my main tank a few days ago so I don't want to move 20 gallons of new saltwater around again. I am not in a hurry so I added a nice piece of live rock from my display to help seed a few pieces of dry rock. I am going to turn off my pump for a day and add some food to let the nitrogen cycle kick in and feed the bacteria.
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SantaMonicaHelp · Mar 7, 2017

quicksil328 said:
Ok guys, I need some advice again. I have been helping my two boys with a new stand alone frag/reef build over the past several weeks (pic attached). We got a nice deal on a 45 gal RR peninsula tank, set it on top of a DIY stand, added a 20 gallon long sump with a SCA 302 skimmer, and a reef octopus varios 2 return pump. We have two 54 watt AquaMaxx Nemo led lights (Thanks Adam) over the tank. We filled the tank yesterday and got everything running. We are definitely going bare bottom with some egg crate lifted off the bottom to keep up circulation. My question is about cycling. The boys want to add some small fish but want to concentrate mainly on coral, specificaly LPS because they like some of the movement of torches and the like. My question is should I cycle this like I did my display tank? Should I add a few pieces of rock from my system and feed the tank some to get a cycle going? Any help would be much appreciated.

Hi quicksil328,

Good start

How many corals do you plan to have?

Zhenya

quicksil328 · Mar 7, 2017

I'm not sure how many corals at this point. It is really my 2 boys so ultimately it will be their decision. They want a few fish and then they know they want some LPS but beyond that I am not really sure.