Cycling another tank question

[LukeSivyer45]

Im setting up a new 9 gallon with sand and rock from my 20 gallon. The rocks been in there about a week and the sand about 5 months. Do I still need to buy something like fritz turbostart again or is there enough bacteria already colonised?

 

[Azedenkae]

Im setting up a new 9 gallon with sand and rock from my 20 gallon. The rocks been in there about a week and the sand about 5 months. Do I still need to buy something like fritz turbostart again or is there enough bacteria already colonised?

Depends on if you got live rock and/or sand or not. You have to introduce nitrifiers some way.

Theoretically there are probably nitrifiers everywhere, even if not active, then dormant. However microorganisms can be adapted to specific environments, and evidence is that marine nitrifiers are different from freshwater nitrifiers, and you'd want the marine nitrifiers.

 

[Reef.]

Im setting up a new 9 gallon with sand and rock from my 20 gallon. The rocks been in there about a week and the sand about 5 months. Do I still need to buy something like fritz turbostart again or is there enough bacteria already colonised?

if you mean the rock was in the old tank for a week before moving to the new tank, then yes I would either wait for the full cycle or add Fritz.

One week is not enough time and if the rock is not very porous even if it was in the old tank for longer it still may not be enough.

 

[LukeSivyer45]

if you mean the rock was in the old tank for a week before moving to the new tank, then yes I would either wait for the full cycle or add Fritz.

One week is not enough time and if the rock is not very porous even if it was in the old tank for longer it still may not be enough.

I have another piece of rock that been in there 5 months. Is sand actually a good place for bacteria to live?

 

[LukeSivyer45]

Depends on if you got live rock and/or sand or not. You have to introduce nitrifiers some way.

Theoretically there are probably nitrifiers everywhere, even if not active, then dormant. However microorganisms can be adapted to specific environments, and evidence is that marine nitrifiers are different from freshwater nitrifiers, and you'd want the marine nitrifiers.

By nitrifiers, does having nitrate in water count? My 20 gallon has 17ppm nitrate so if this were true I could “donate” some to it.

 

[Reef.]

I have another piece of rock that been in there 5 months. Is sand actually a good place for bacteria to live?

Yes but 5 months in a new tank is not the sand I would be using to cycle a new tank, you could risk it, add the sand and the other rock and then add ammonia to 2ppm and see if it's zero the next day.

Me personally would want to be 100% sure with such a small tank before I added live animals, either wait or add the Fritz, or test with the ammonia.

 

[brandon429]

You were 100% cycled on month two. Completely done, here’s proof:

 

[LukeSivyer45]

Yes but 5 months in a new tank is not the sand I would be using to cycle a new tank, you could risk it, add the sand and the other rock and then add ammonia to 2ppm and see if it's zero the next day.

Me personally would want to be 100% sure with such a small tank before I added live animals, either wait or add the Fritz, or test with the ammonia.

What are the risks of using “old” sand?

 

[brandon429]

Bacteria in a bottle, Myth or Fact

Did the online calc indicate to use one mil in the tank for your gallonage

www.reef2reef.com

mStevens posts, cycled in sixty days, don’t add bottle bac. Trust science

begin

the risk of using old sand is more tank uglies, it can’t really hurt anything.

 

[Reef.]

What are the risks of using “old” sand?

I didn't say there was a risk, just that using sand that is just cycled itself for a new tank is not ideal, the sand needs to be mature, 5 months IMO is not mature enough to risk on a new tank and say it's cycled, as said test it then we both know, no doubt.

 

[LukeSivyer45]

I didn't say there was a risk, just that using sand that is just cycled itself for a new tank is not ideal, the sand needs to be mature, 5 months IMO is not mature enough to risk on a new tank and say it's cycled, as said test it then we both know, no doubt.

How mature would you want it to be?

 

[Reef.]

How mature would you want it to be?

At least a year and same for the rock.

 

[LukeSivyer45]

At least a year and same for the rock.

Ok thanks for the opinion. Just to clarify I can still cycle the tank with fritz turbostart and my rock and sand from my 20 gallon?

 

[Reef.]

Ok thanks for the opinion. Just to clarify I can still cycle the tank with fritz turbostart and my rock and sand from my 20 gallon?

of course, that's what I used!

 

[LukeSivyer45]

of course, that's what I used!

Ok thanks for the help, the tank should be setup hopefully by tomorrow and ill make a thread or something for it

 

[brandon429]

Nm I see rocks in for only one week.