55 gallon tank has a small leak

[Undertaker]

i set up a used 55 g tank on November 30 2016. the other day i noticed that i was getting salt creep building up in the back corner. so i ordered a red sea reefer deluxe 350. im planning on using all of the same live rock and substrate. will my tank go through a cycle that will mess with my livestock?

 

[Diesel]

November.......... your tank isn't fully matured or cycled yet, If you use new sand and a few cups (4 or 5 cups) of your old sand on top of the new sand you will go through a very small cycle but that's ok.
If you use all your old sand you have to rinse it very good, yes even if your tank was set up in November.
New sand and your liverock on day one and the second day the livestock.
In that case you can tweak the returns and drains as well adjust the pumps.
You have to test everyday for ammonia and nitrite to keep that in check by water changes.
Also with the transfer use some kind of bacteria to spike the system, any kind of bacteria you can get at your LFS.

 

[Undertaker]

i cycled my tank with 71 pounds of live rock my ph 8.2, ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, phosphates .03. i'm running brs gfo/carbon reactor. my tank was cycled in three weeks.

 

[Peter Blue Reef]

If you directly transfer your sand, rock, water, and livestock there shouldn't be any die off. I wouldn't worry too much but keep an eye on it. I used to do a total tank tear down every few months on a small tank just to keep it really clean and my system never changed. when I was cleaning the tank with a garden hose my rock, coral, fish, sand, and inverts stayed in Tupperware bins and solo cups for an hour or two.

 

[Undertaker]

If you directly transfer your sand, rock, water, and livestock there shouldn't be any die off. I wouldn't worry too much but keep an eye on it. I used to do a total tank tear down every few months on a small tank just to keep it really clean and my system never changed. when I was cleaning the tank with a garden hose my rock, coral, fish, sand, and inverts stayed in Tupperware bins and solo cups for an hour or two.

that is my plan to just transfer everything over. I'v been doing a 15 to 20 % water change every two weeks, and when i do my water changes i vacuum out my sand bed. which is a 1 inch bed

 

[Peter Blue Reef]

Oakley doakley!

 

[Diesel]

i cycled my tank with 71 pounds of live rock my ph 8.2, ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, phosphates .03. i'm running brs gfo/carbon reactor. my tank was cycled in three weeks.

That cycling process was for you to read o.0 on ammonia and nitrite and should be save to add slowly some livestock over time.
You are basically not even 3 months in the process and that is considered a very young baby tank.
Although your tank is doing great I think any change made can upset the ecosystem and trigger you into a small cycle again.
Commonly we don't use if they set up a new tank your old sand even three months old.
Just take about 5 cups from it and safe that in a bucket and rinse the rest.
When you move over your live rock it good to dip that in a large bucket od tank water and swoosh/shake it to get any detritus off and other stuff that's hidden in there.
Corals and fish should be fine for a day in a large bucket with air stone and small heater.
Or just leave them in your old tank, not sure how bad it's leaking.
There are stories that ppl move everything in one day and be done with it but be ready for failure and or a complete cycle and if that happens with your livestock in there you won't be happy.

 

[Undertaker]

that is my plan to just transfer everything over. I'v been doing a 15 to 20 % water change every two weeks, and when i do my water changes i vacuum out my sand bed. which is a 1 inch bed

i do know because im upgrading 18 gallons. i will have to add some more sand. i have the caribsea dry aragonite special grade reef sand, and plan on putting the same thing with the upgrade

 

[Undertaker]

That cycling process was for you to read o.0 on ammonia and nitrite and should be save to add slowly some livestock over time.
You are basically not even 3 months in the process and that is considered a very young baby tank.
Although your tank is doing great I think any change made can upset the ecosystem and trigger you into a small cycle again.
Commonly we don't use if they set up a new tank your old sand even three months old.
Just take about 5 cups from it and safe that in a bucket and rinse the rest.
When you move over your live rock it good to dip that in a large bucket od tank water and swoosh/shake it to get any detritus off and other stuff that's hidden in there.
Corals and fish should be fine for a day in a large bucket with air stone and small heater.
Or just leave them in your old tank, not sure how bad it's leaking.
There are stories that ppl move everything in one day and be done with it but be ready for failure and or a complete cycle and if that happens with your livestock in there you won't be happy.

Thx !! I took your advice, and took my time moving everything over. I made my water one day, the next day put in new live substrate, then the next day live rock, let it sit two day then moved over live stock. That was 5 days ago and everything seems good.