Took over a tank

[rongy]

Hi, new to the saltwater aquarium. I just took over a tank couple weeks ago with the live rock and sand. I was getting the required equipments and did not plan set up the tank until today. I keep all live rocks in a bucket with heater and a small pump. I have a few questions:
1. Do I still need to cycle the tank? Not sure if any bacteria died in the bucket last couple weeks
2. There are some emerald crabs and snails on live rock and still alive. Should I put them into the tank together with the rock?
3. Should I use the sand from old tank or get new sand?
4. If I plan to add more dry live rock, can I add them with the live rock?

 

[Mschmidt]

Welcome!

1. Do I still need to cycle the tank? Not sure if any bacteria died in the bucket last couple weeks

some may have died. you can cycle the new stuff and add the old stuff after. Or cycle new stuff on the side and add the old to the tank.

2. There are some emerald crabs and snails on live rock and still alive. Should I put them into the tank together with the rock?

they'd be fine, just make sure there is no ammonia when you do.

3. Should I use the sand from old tank or get new sand?

I'd wash the old sand and use it. but you will also hear get new. IMO, neither side is wrong in this.

4. If I plan to add more dry live rock, can I add them with the live rock?

go for it. or see my response to q1. cycle the new separate from the old.

 

[RichReef]

Welcome! The above advice is spot on.

 

[Tired]

"Dry live rock" is just dry rock. You can go ahead and put that into the tank with the live rock, as that's how you'll get bacteria and algae onto it. You /could/ put it in another container and cycle it there, but there isn't really any reason to do that when you've got live rock to cycle it with instead.

That live rock is cycled, so any tank you put it into will now be cycled. If snails and crabs are alive, that bacteria is more than alive.

Go ahead and move the snails and crabs with the live rock. That's where the bacteria and algae is, so they want to go with it.

I would highly suggest new sand, as the old stuff can be really nasty. If you don't get new sand, rinse the old stuff until it runs completely clear.

 

[rongy]

Welcome!


some may have died. you can cycle the new stuff and add the old stuff after. Or cycle new stuff on the side and add the old to the tank.

they'd be fine, just make sure there is no ammonia when you do.

I'd wash the old sand and use it. but you will also hear get new. IMO, neither side is wrong in this.

go for it. or see my response to q1. cycle the new separate from the old.

For #1, wouldn’t it be better to cycle both new and old rocks together? I thought that will speed up the process and I don’t have to add ammonia myself. I was concerning that the bacteria and crab will die if I leave them in the bucket for too long when I cycle the new rock (cycling new rocks can take 4-6 weeks afaik)

 

[Mschmidt]

For #1, wouldn’t it be better to cycle both new and old rocks together? I thought that will speed up the process and I don’t have to add ammonia myself. I was concerning that the bacteria and crab will die if I leave them in the bucket for too long when I cycle the new rock (cycling new rocks can take 4-6 weeks afaik)

Dry stuff will cause fluctuations mare than old stuff. If you feed the livestock in the buckets with the rock and they get air, they can stay like that for a while. If on the other hand you want the tank running sooner rather than later you can get the old stuff in there with the inverts. Keep an eye out for ammonia but you should be fine. Every change has the potential to cause ammonia but there is probably living bacteria in the rock (since the inverts still live).

What I'd do as the safe route is new sand and rock, bottled bac and an ammonia source. Let it ride, then add old rock and livestock.

What I did when I upgraded was cycle new sand and rock with bottle bac and ammonia, then halfway rinse sand and move everything over in one chaotic evening.