Age of tank

Aretes · 03/22/2016, 12:11 PM

Hey guys I've got a quick question. I'm thinking of setting up a smaller 20 gallon tank next to my display tank. If I were to use only live sand, live rock, and water from my display tank into the smaller tank. Would the age of the smaller tank be the same as the display tank? Or would it still need some time to cycle? Thanks guys

username in use · 03/22/2016, 12:20 PM

Might go through a mini cycle just from disrupting and detritus that was stored in the sand, but in general it is the same as the large tank. I would let it settle for the week and do a water change before adding fish just to be safe but it's pretty much the same tank.

Aretes · 03/22/2016, 12:40 PM

Thanks!

ssobel80 · 03/22/2016, 01:39 PM

I am currently cycling a new quarantine tank filled completely with my display water, and have had an ammonia spike for two weeks now. Finally falling but for whatever reason I had to cycle it again.

I did not add any sand or live rock. Just pvc pieces and a sponge filter that sat in my sump for a couple weeks.

joshua_00030 · 03/22/2016, 05:51 PM

Well ssobel your bacteria that runs the nitrogen cycle is on your rocks, sand and equipment. Not free floating in the water. The filter you added from the sump will certainly help, but it's not that easy to establish a new tank.

anthonys51 · 03/22/2016, 06:45 PM

yes i agree tank should be fine, technically its the same tank it would be like taking all your rocks out and putting them back in quickly. trust me if taking rocks out of a tank killed the cycle with how many times i redue my rocks i be in trouble.

Aretes · 03/22/2016, 06:56 PM

Thanks for the responses guys. Something else that came up, if I were to use new sand instead of live sand in the new tank, this would no longer count as an old tank even with the old water and live rock right?

anthonys51 · 03/22/2016, 07:16 PM

what are you putting into the tank. if you added enough live rock you should be able to put things in it as long as you didnt go crazy. lets start with what do you want to add to the tank and how fast you want to add it

ps i would add new sand to tank and not use the old sand in the tank. plus i would use live sand simple because its cleaner and not that much more expensive

ca1ore · 03/22/2016, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssobel80

a sponge filter that sat in my sump for a couple weeks.

Two weeks probably isn't long enough to fully 'seed'; plus, depending on the size of the sponge and tank, it may simply be too small.

Aretes · 03/22/2016, 07:20 PM

I'm looking to start adding in livestock as soon as it's safe to do so. I'm going to start off with a pair of ocellaris clowns and add in a compatible host anemone soon after. I'm only going to use this tank short term for a couple months while I wait for a larger tank to cycle.

ssobel80 · 03/22/2016, 07:22 PM

20 gallon tank with an up to 75 gallon sponge filter. Maybe it wasn't long enough but it's still all already cycled display tank water

anthonys51 · 03/22/2016, 07:27 PM

ssobel not to sound rude but as josh already stated , the majority of the bacteria isn't in the water its lives on rock, sand, sponges ect.

anthonys51 · 03/22/2016, 07:30 PM

adding the clowns should be good, i would say there is enough bacteria but if you want to wait a week to be safe why not. the anemone i know they like mature stably tanks, so would absolutly wait a week on that one, but even then a 20 doesn't give you much lead way when it comes to water chemistry, you have to make sure your on point

03/22/2016, 12:11 PM	#1
Aretes Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 16	Age of tank Hey guys I've got a quick question. I'm thinking of setting up a smaller 20 gallon tank next to my display tank. If I were to use only live sand, live rock, and water from my display tank into the smaller tank. Would the age of the smaller tank be the same as the display tank? Or would it still need some time to cycle? Thanks guys

03/22/2016, 12:20 PM	#2
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	Might go through a mini cycle just from disrupting and detritus that was stored in the sand, but in general it is the same as the large tank. I would let it settle for the week and do a water change before adding fish just to be safe but it's pretty much the same tank. __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

03/22/2016, 01:39 PM	#4
ssobel80 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 43	Age of tank I am currently cycling a new quarantine tank filled completely with my display water, and have had an ammonia spike for two weeks now. Finally falling but for whatever reason I had to cycle it again. I did not add any sand or live rock. Just pvc pieces and a sponge filter that sat in my sump for a couple weeks.

03/22/2016, 12:40 PM	#3
Aretes Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 16	Thanks!

03/22/2016, 05:51 PM	#5
joshua_00030 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 21	Well ssobel your bacteria that runs the nitrogen cycle is on your rocks, sand and equipment. Not free floating in the water. The filter you added from the sump will certainly help, but it's not that easy to establish a new tank.

03/22/2016, 06:45 PM	#6
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	yes i agree tank should be fine, technically its the same tank it would be like taking all your rocks out and putting them back in quickly. trust me if taking rocks out of a tank killed the cycle with how many times i redue my rocks i be in trouble.

03/22/2016, 06:56 PM	#7
Aretes Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 16	Thanks for the responses guys. Something else that came up, if I were to use new sand instead of live sand in the new tank, this would no longer count as an old tank even with the old water and live rock right?

03/22/2016, 07:16 PM	#8
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	what are you putting into the tank. if you added enough live rock you should be able to put things in it as long as you didnt go crazy. lets start with what do you want to add to the tank and how fast you want to add it ps i would add new sand to tank and not use the old sand in the tank. plus i would use live sand simple because its cleaner and not that much more expensive

03/22/2016, 07:20 PM	#10
Aretes Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 16	I'm looking to start adding in livestock as soon as it's safe to do so. I'm going to start off with a pair of ocellaris clowns and add in a compatible host anemone soon after. I'm only going to use this tank short term for a couple months while I wait for a larger tank to cycle.

03/22/2016, 07:22 PM	#11
ssobel80 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 43	20 gallon tank with an up to 75 gallon sponge filter. Maybe it wasn't long enough but it's still all already cycled display tank water

03/22/2016, 07:27 PM	#12
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	ssobel not to sound rude but as josh already stated , the majority of the bacteria isn't in the water its lives on rock, sand, sponges ect.

03/22/2016, 07:30 PM	#13
anthonys51 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kings Park, NY Posts: 2,789	adding the clowns should be good, i would say there is enough bacteria but if you want to wait a week to be safe why not. the anemone i know they like mature stably tanks, so would absolutly wait a week on that one, but even then a 20 doesn't give you much lead way when it comes to water chemistry, you have to make sure your on point