How long will my cycle be?

[xxkenny90xx]

Ok so I finally convinced my sister to start a tank, it's gonna be 30 or less gallons and it will be filled with live rock that has been in a fowlr tank for 4 months (I don't know much about the rock) and water from my reef tank (8 years established). I'll also give her some nasty filter floss from my reef and maybe a few handfuls of LR rubble from my reef. What do you guys think? Will there be a cycle and if so, what would cause it? Thanks

 

[KorD]

There will always be a cycle in one way or another. Since you are adding the live rice and filter to the tank it will be less of a cycle, but will still be there.
For good measure if you want to just get ready to throw stuff in, I would recommend adding some bacteria in a bottle to speed up the process.. the rock, filter, and bacteria should have you adding a couple fish in 5 days or so..

Just be sure to check all the levels before throwing in the fish

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Thanks for the quick response, just out of curiosity what would cause the cycle? Are we thinking die off from transporting the rocks? Or maybe just time for bacteria to grow on the new equipment ? Also as far as sand I'm undecided on dry or live. I was thinking dry (plus a few handfuls from my reef) would help avoid a cycle but if we will be throwing in a bottle of bacteria maybe just go with live sand instead? She's in no rush and will let it cycle for months if I tell her too.

 

[KorD]

Thanks for the quick response, just out of curiosity what would cause the cycle? Are we thinking die off from transporting the rocks? Or maybe just time for bacteria to grow on the new equipment ? Also as far as sand I'm undecided on dry or live. I was thinking dry (plus a few handfuls from my reef) would help avoid a cycle but if we will be throwing in a bottle of bacteria maybe just go with live sand instead? She's in no rush and will let it cycle for months if I tell her too.

Well in that case, let her wait like the rest of us..[emoji23]
Transport of the live rock will cause die off along with adding it to a tank that has different water parameters thank your own.
Live sand is good, but not always great because what happens is you are getting the crushed coral that has been sitting in bags for who knows how long. Things are living and dining in that bag the whole time. This helps with the cycling of the tank.
I would get her whole tank setup for her, add some bacteria, you just wait a week in test all the water to see how it looks.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Will the rock be kept wet? How long will it take to get it from one tank to the other? If the live rock from the fowlr tank is used, and it stays wet and is transported quickly, you could add a fish or two immediately. The cycle refers to establishing the bacteria colony on the rock and sand. Using water from your tank won't really help, very little bacteria resides in the water column. I would just use new saltwater for the new tank.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

The water will be from my tank, but regardless you right, testing after some time will tell all, I just wanted a time frame to give her. Lol that's not a bad idea, I had to wait months, why shouldn't she! Ya I have a hard time believing much is alive in an old bag of sand thats been sitting at the store but I'm sure something is. the rock will be kept wet btw and I would rather give her old water from my tank anyways, the new stuff I make is going in my reef!