Cycling a new tank with

[Fishingandreefing]

I am thinking of using my current tank water to cycle my new set up. My current tank parameters are ok except phosphate was tested today at .17 by Hanna (finally dropped!) since the rocks adding to the new tank will leech phosphate anyway so why not. (After bleaching the old live rocks for a week, Powerwashed then put them in a container and ran gfo for a week. Tested today at .10)

Here are two reasons I want to do this:

1) Don’t want to waste and could save about $35.

2) will be running gfo in the new system to get rid of phosphate anyway.

now the question is, do I start normal cycling process while running gfo or run gfo after when it’s cycled?

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[lapin]

.......now the question is, do I start normal cycling process while running gfo or run gfo after when it’s cycled?

Run it any time you want.
The old water will help cycle your tank.The tank will still need time to build enough bacteria on the rock and sand to support the ammonia processing of livestock.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Any other members see the benefit of that too?

 

[nereefpat]

GFO shouldn't affect the cycle one way or the other.

 

[reefez]

I’d Leave the GFO off let it cycle naturally take your time
IMO Your heater a skimmer or air stone for aeration and a powerhead for circulation and your old water will work great may jumpstart things
I have bleached rock and it took a while for it to cycle like eight weeks

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I’d Leave the GFO off let it cycle naturally take your time
IMO Your heater a skimmer or air stone for aeration and a powerhead for circulation and your old water will work great may jumpstart things
I have bleached rock and it took a while for it to cycle like eight weeks

Sounds good

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I’d Leave the GFO off let it cycle naturally take your time
IMO Your heater a skimmer or air stone for aeration and a powerhead for circulation and your old water will work great may jumpstart things
I have bleached rock and it took a while for it to cycle like eight weeks

Did you check phosphate?

 

[reefez]

Yes you want phosphate To start the ammonia cycle
I had dead shrimp frozen fish food while cycling

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Yes you want phosphate To start the ammonia cycle
I had dead shrimp frozen fish food while cycling

Great!

 

[reefez]

This is how I cure or cycle rock
80° lots of flow lots of aeration I put that light on it after about five or six weeks for four or five hours a day and I always used my main display water for water changes after the ammonia spike

 

[Fishingandreefing]

This is how I cure or cycle rock
80° lots of flow lots of aeration I put that light on it after about five or six weeks for four or five hours a day and I always used my main display water for water changes after the ammonia spike

Looks good! Going to dump about 30g of old tank water into the new tank tomorrow during water change and leave a pump and heater on. Will do another 30g water change after a few days then I will prob mix the rest (30g) fresh, don’t want to wait lol.

 

[Greg P]

Using other tank water to start your new tank won't affect your cycle. It will neither start nor ****** it.
You will still need to jump start your ammonia cycle

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Using other tank water to start your new tank won't affect your cycle. It will neither start nor ****** it.
You will still need to jump start your ammonia cycle

My main desire to use the old tank water was not to waste the old water and curiosity

 

[nereefpat]

Yes you want phosphate To start the ammonia cycle
I had dead shrimp frozen fish food while cycling

Why? What do the 2 processes have to do with each other?

Many reefers have cycled their tanks with pure ammonia.

 

[Greg P]

My main desire to use the old tank water was not to waste the old water and curiosity

Yup, I got that. Just stating there's no harm using old tank water, (aside from possibly transferring parasites/diseases).
But there's also no real bacterial benefit as 'most' of your bacteria will be on surfaces, not in the water column. Hence my pointing out you'll still need to add something to get your cycle started.

 

[reefez]

Why? What do the 2 processes have to do with each other?

Many reefers have cycled their tanks with pure ammonia.

I’ve cycled rock the same way for nearly 25 years seems to work well just sharing my opinion
That said use it or don’t but you’ll find in every post on cycling rock a dozen theories and opinions on how to do it . Will all end in the same way cycled rock. You should share the processes of pure ammonia maybe the opp would appreciate it. Fishing and reefing

im not looking to debate everybody’s process of cycling rock. Just Sharing mine