Insta Cycled or Insta Stocked or something else?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Thanks to @LRT for the QOTD idea!

Have you ever moved the inhabitants of a reef aquarium to a new tank? Maybe it was a tank upgrade. Maybe you bought someone's entire reef and set it up in your own new tank. Would it need to cycle? Would there be a cycle? What would you even call that? Let's talk about it!

1. What would you call a fully transferred, instantly stocked tank? Insta Cycled or Insta Stocked or something else?

2. Have you ever relocated an existing reef ecosystem to a new tank and how did it go? Did you experience a cycle?

Image via @happyhourhero

 

[Waters]

I wouldn't call it either I don't think....you are basically just moving an established system from one tank to another....I would call it a move . I have relocated an entire tank without any issues.....no changes in water chemistry at all.

 

[Borat]

InstaNewb

 

[James_O]

Although I've never actually transferred anything, I wouldn't call it either of the "insta" above.

 

[Gtinnel]

Insta-stock would be a more accurate name of those two, but I don't think I would ever call it that. Insta-Reef has certain ring to it, although I probably wouldn't use it either. I'd probably just call it what it is ..tank transfer.

I've never done a transfer. I'd like to in order to upgrade eventually but I'm kinda nervous about it.

 

[LRT]

I'm still on fence on what to call it. Honestly still trying to establish clear definition of "cycle" and how to apply it here. Mature systems are clearly able to hit new systems and process ammonia in any reasonable upgrade with some emphasis on how much water your "upgrading" and expanding to.
I feel like you do experience the mini cycles of any new tank with nutrient and bacteria dispersal to new surfaces. Bacterial cloudy water blooms etc.
Its probably more of a hybrid of both. The extent of that is mostly driven by operator and due diligence through first cpl months of upgrade.

 

[ShadowMan]

I'm currently researching a tank upgrade but as the move will be from a small-ish tank (30G) to a much larger one (140G), I don't plan on insta- moving, but rather more of a re-cycle and then a gradual introduction.
To many variables to manage/compensate for otherwise?! But that's just my opinion

 

[LRT]

I'm currently researching a tank upgrade but as the move will be from a small-ish tank (30G) to a much larger one (140G), I don't plan on insta- moving, but rather more of a re-cycle and then a gradual introduction.
To many variables to manage/compensate for otherwise?! But that's just my opinion

Hey Shadowman it would be awesome if you hit this thread and let us know what you end up doing. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/instacycle-challenge-thread-anyone.860787/
I could talk about this all day long but don't wanna to hijack Rev's thread. I'm really curious to see what folks opinions are on this topic.

 

[Lasse]

I vote something else

Insta idiotic if it is a completely new tank with new everything.

Insta wise if it is just a transfer of a majority of the content from an old tank into a new - never used - empty tank

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Pelagikos]

I would think it would almost certainly have at least one mini-cycle, where parameters could be even just a little screwy at some point. ‍*shrugs*

 

[Borat]

InstaNewb = add a clownfish on day 2, add 5 more fish over the week after...

 

[LRT]

InstaNewb = add a clownfish on day 2, add 5 more fish over the week after...

I have to ask you if you can expand on the Newb aspect of your response. Do you feel its Newb to think that you can take a fully mature reef, fully stocked and all and transfer it to new tank? Or do you think its a Newb concept to feel like you cant?

 

[brandon429]

Borat, funniest movie ever made in history people were scream-laughing in the theater, let me ask this:

when the newb adds the extra fish how does that impact the instant cycle? does the ammonia rise and burn the fish?

disclaimer: the question is fully loaded.

 

[jayoman]

In august i transferred all livestock with an upgrade. I used 20% of the live rock from my 46 gal bow into a 180 gallon. Putting most of the old rock in the new refugium. I added 150 lbs of new dry rock and added live bacteria and dosed ammonia to start a new cycle. It took 8 days to cycle but I had minimal spikes of ammonia and nitrite. My nitrates rose to 15ppm in 3 days but settled in at 5ppm after starting the refugium. I transferred all my livestock, 6 fish, 60 corals, 20 inverts on that 8th day with no issues. I currently have 20 fish including 4 tangs and added several more corals while maintaining my parameters. It took me 6 months to progress this far with my previous tank and not without hair algae and cyano blooms. So I wouldn’t call it insta anything but definitely quicker.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have done this too many times to count. With smaller tanks that is. My 210g move did not go as planned and I lost soooo much. However, my 40g 20g and 6g are moved and restocked and cleaned out regularly.
I guess I would call it a move or transfer.

 

[Aboynamedsous2]

Thanks to @LRT for the QOTD idea!

Have you ever moved the inhabitants of a reef aquarium to a new tank? Maybe it was a tank upgrade. Maybe you bought someone's entire reef and set it up in your own new tank. Would it need to cycle? Would there be a cycle? What would you even call that? Let's talk about it!

1. What would you call a fully transferred, instantly stocked tank? Insta Cycled or Insta Stocked or something else?

2. Have you ever relocated an existing reef ecosystem to a new tank and how did it go? Did you experience a cycle?

Image via @happyhourhero

I only cycled my new system for a week due to an emergency. I had to move all my livestock and didn’t lose anything. If it’s avoidable then I would fully cycle but in an instance when the tank stand is about to collapse from weight or you have a really leaky tank then you don’t have much of a choice but to risk it.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

What is the definition of cycle? Not trying to be funny.

If we are referring to processing ammonia almost immediately in a new everything tank?, then yes, you can insta cycle a tank. I have done it numerous times.

If we are referring to moving a tank with nothing new, done that a bunch as well. Even moving from small to big and adding new with established.

I guess what I am getting at, is the actual determination of an "insta- cycle" in this thread.

 

[G Santana]

I've upgraded with no Ill effects so it's Insta Both lol

 

[Lasse]

In august i transferred all livestock with an upgrade. I used 20% of the live rock from my 46 gal bow into a 180 gallon. Putting most of the old rock in the new refugium. I added 150 lbs of new dry rock and added live bacteria and dosed ammonia to start a new cycle. It took 8 days to cycle but I had minimal spikes of ammonia and nitrite. My nitrates rose to 15ppm in 3 days but settled in at 5ppm after starting the refugium. I transferred all my livestock, 6 fish, 60 corals, 20 inverts on that 8th day with no issues. I currently have 20 fish including 4 tangs and added several more corals while maintaining my parameters. It took me 6 months to progress this far with my previous tank and not without hair algae and cyano blooms. So I wouldn’t call it insta anything but definitely quicker.

Insta - wise

Sincerely Lasse

 

[LRT]

What is the definition of cycle? Not trying to be funny.

If we are referring to processing ammonia almost immediately in a new everything tank?, then yes, you can insta cycle a tank. I have done it numerous times.

If we are referring to moving a tank with nothing new, done that a bunch as well. Even moving from small to big and adding new with established.

I guess what I am getting at, is the actual determination of an "insta- cycle" in this thread.

Precisely haha. Yessir let's define cycle and what that means in this thread. There is absoloutely no question on whether or not a mature tank can be transferred to new tank and not miss a beat in processing ammonia and nitrites. So its probably more like cycled system goes in and continues to cycle in new system. Idk haha