Do I need to re-cycle my tank?

optimisticdingo

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So about a month ago we encountered a problem with our Red Sea Reefer 450. The return line popped off of my pump during operation, while I was away, and ended up causing my sump to overflow and excess water to spray everywhere. Probably around 30-40 gallons of water were left on the floor and a lot of it was absorbed by the tank cabinet. Rather than mess with getting a new stand made, we decided to just upgrade and get a Reefer 625 XL G2. When we broke down the 450 I transferred all of my livestock to a 40 breeder and a 10-gallon tank that I use for QT. All of the rock was placed in the tanks as well as a tote that I left in my garage with a bubbler to keep the water oxygenated. The water in the garage, however, was never topped off with freshwater so I'm sure the salinity was getting out of hand. Normally, I would have kept up with this but during this whole process my wife went into labor early and we ended up having our first child so topping off the rock water in the garage was the least of my priorities. The temps in Oklahoma also got pretty hot during this time with the hottest day being around 111 degrees fahrenheit.

At this time I've added a new sand bed to the tank and placed the rock from the garage into the display full of water. However, I'm not sure if the tank is fully ready for fish. The main reason is I'm not sure if the nitrifying bacteria would have survived in my garage and I'm also not sure if the rocks that I have in the 40-gallon and 10-gallon tanks would be enough to filter the water. Do you guys have any thoughts? Am I just being a bit paranoid? I should also add that I went ahead and added turbostart to the tank just to be safe. Currently, I have my Coral Beauty Angel and my Bi-Color blenny in the tank and I'm monitoring the parameters to see how the tank reacts. Am I being too cautious and should I just go ahead and add the other rocks and the rest of my fish? I'll post my stock list below

Whitetail Bristletooth Tang
Foxface Rabbitfish
Midas Blenny
Bi-Color Blenny
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Bangai Cardinalfish
Lyretail Anthias
Purple Firefish
Lineatus Wrasse
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
 
Add the fish, feed lightly, watch parameters. Any cloudyness or pungent smell could be ammonia, but if your rock was wet it should be ok.
7.19.22 new tank.jpg


This tank was set up with wet rock from my garage, temp, salinity, years of neglect and instant cycled. The two clowns came with the new (to me) tank. Added rock water, rinsed sand, and clowns day one, the rest of the fish a week or two later. No issues. Skimmer, circulation, and a light for the nem that was in the garage tank, nem split, fish fighting a bit to establish new pecking order (they were in two seperate tanks on the garage system) but no issues with cycling using wet rock. The bacteria are the oldest living things in my tank and they will out live us both, unless there is an end to the earth before then? :)
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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