Should I expect a cycle?

dclaassen · 12/19/2009, 11:36 AM

My end goal is combining two aquapod 24's that have mixed softies in them into one 75g that I purchased off of craigslist. The live rock had some macro algae on it from the used 75 when I purchased it. Mostly caulerpa (sp?), and bubble algae. The tank was up and running with two clowns and a large sixline wrasse when I purchased it. Here is a cell phone pic I took before I tore it down from the sellers apartment:

I put the fish in an aquapod and proceeded to scrap off all the algae. Once the rock 'looked' clean I placed it in a large tub with salt water, a heater, and a power head pointed towards the surface. I 'cooked' the rock for what's been probably two months with doing water changes every couple of weeks to clean the rock off. I threw away all of the sand and am going to put down new Caribsea Aragonite seaflor special grade reef sand. The rock is now back in the 75g with a new sump and a new Vertex IN-100 skimmer. Not sure if it matters but the tank came with the 8 T5 nova extreme fixture.
I am about to finalize my aquascape with the rock from both my aquapods but wasn't sure if I should wait to add my really good live rock for a cycle or if I will even have one at all. I don't want to add my aquapod rocks because many of them have some nice mushrooms, candy cane corals, hammer head corals and other corals on them if a possible cycle would kill them off. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

sheac12 · 12/19/2009, 11:43 AM

With new sand and baked rocks you will cycle. Pretty much any time you add something "new" to the environment you will induce a cycle. Will it be short? Maybe, it all depends on how much you stay on top of water changes. So, yes, even after the cycle for the base rocks and sand finishes you will start a new cycling processes once the rock from the other tank is added. However, it will probably be shorter then the previous and less harmful.

rbnice1 · 12/19/2009, 12:37 PM

With your existing rock cooked. it should have cycled while being cooked for those 2 months.

Adding dry sand should not induce a cycle. Make sure you rinse it really well.

So no you shouldnt really get a cycle. You may see some nitrates go up so I would hold off on any corals for a few weeks after setting it up.

I did something similar with my 155 I had all the rock cooking for 9 weeks while the tank was on order and waiting to do plumbing. Once the tank was ready we filled it with water mixed in salt then after a day put the rock in, did the aquascaping then added dry sand and added fish a few days later.

I would hold off on the fish tho, my tank was attached to a existing sump/fuge/RDSB.

bertoni · 12/19/2009, 04:54 PM

The tank might show some signs of a cycle, but that's rare. I'd be ready with water for changes and some Amquel, just in case.

dclaassen · 12/19/2009, 05:10 PM

Thanks for the replies. I think I will take as many corals off my rock as possible, finalize my aquascape, add sand, let the water clear and give it about a week to see what if any cycle is going to take place before adding any livestock.

danielsreef · 12/19/2009, 05:17 PM

I just recently relocated a 75 myself and replaced all of the old rubble substrate with new live white sand. I had no issues at all with a spike, but as others have stated better safe then sorry on putting the corals in.

12/19/2009, 11:36 AM	#1
dclaassen Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 78	Should I expect a cycle? My end goal is combining two aquapod 24's that have mixed softies in them into one 75g that I purchased off of craigslist. The live rock had some macro algae on it from the used 75 when I purchased it. Mostly caulerpa (sp?), and bubble algae. The tank was up and running with two clowns and a large sixline wrasse when I purchased it. Here is a cell phone pic I took before I tore it down from the sellers apartment: I put the fish in an aquapod and proceeded to scrap off all the algae. Once the rock 'looked' clean I placed it in a large tub with salt water, a heater, and a power head pointed towards the surface. I 'cooked' the rock for what's been probably two months with doing water changes every couple of weeks to clean the rock off. I threw away all of the sand and am going to put down new Caribsea Aragonite seaflor special grade reef sand. The rock is now back in the 75g with a new sump and a new Vertex IN-100 skimmer. Not sure if it matters but the tank came with the 8 T5 nova extreme fixture. I am about to finalize my aquascape with the rock from both my aquapods but wasn't sure if I should wait to add my really good live rock for a cycle or if I will even have one at all. I don't want to add my aquapod rocks because many of them have some nice mushrooms, candy cane corals, hammer head corals and other corals on them if a possible cycle would kill them off. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

12/19/2009, 11:43 AM	#2
sheac12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 77	With new sand and baked rocks you will cycle. Pretty much any time you add something "new" to the environment you will induce a cycle. Will it be short? Maybe, it all depends on how much you stay on top of water changes. So, yes, even after the cycle for the base rocks and sand finishes you will start a new cycling processes once the rock from the other tank is added. However, it will probably be shorter then the previous and less harmful. Last edited by sheac12; 12/19/2009 at 11:45 AM. Reason: need to clarify

12/19/2009, 04:54 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The tank might show some signs of a cycle, but that's rare. I'd be ready with water for changes and some Amquel, just in case. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/19/2009, 12:37 PM	#3
rbnice1 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cedar Hill Posts: 3,905	With your existing rock cooked. it should have cycled while being cooked for those 2 months. Adding dry sand should not induce a cycle. Make sure you rinse it really well. So no you shouldnt really get a cycle. You may see some nitrates go up so I would hold off on any corals for a few weeks after setting it up. I did something similar with my 155 I had all the rock cooking for 9 weeks while the tank was on order and waiting to do plumbing. Once the tank was ready we filled it with water mixed in salt then after a day put the rock in, did the aquascaping then added dry sand and added fish a few days later. I would hold off on the fish tho, my tank was attached to a existing sump/fuge/RDSB.

12/19/2009, 05:10 PM	#5
dclaassen Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 78	Thanks for the replies. I think I will take as many corals off my rock as possible, finalize my aquascape, add sand, let the water clear and give it about a week to see what if any cycle is going to take place before adding any livestock.

12/19/2009, 05:17 PM	#6
danielsreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lake Saint Louis, MO Posts: 72	I just recently relocated a 75 myself and replaced all of the old rubble substrate with new live white sand. I had no issues at all with a spike, but as others have stated better safe then sorry on putting the corals in.