New and already upgrading!...Shocker I know!

[Woogi]

[BackStory]
While I am new to Reef/Saltwater, I am not new to aquariums, I have a 100 gallon fully planted setup that I have been running for a year plus. And it was setup for another 2 years before a cross country move. However the last time I had a saltwater was a 2003ish, and it was a simple nano style, that I was barley involved with, and barley supported a single clown fish.

Someone in the neighborhood was giving away a fluval 5gal nano tank, and would have been perfect for a project I was wanting on to do in a few months, (freshwater project) so I scooped it up, with the intent of giving the Fire Shrimp, Clown, and snails to the LFS.

Well smash cut to me setting up a 26 gallon bow front I had in the basement buying a used Apex/Sump/etc, and here we sit 60 days later and I am about to upgrade again to a 55 gallon.

I will be building a 'built in' in my living room, and using it as a place to put the 55 gallon and 'hide' the sump inside the cabinet.
[/BackStory]

[Questions]
1) While it will still be a week or two before I get to the built ins, can I place the additional sand/rocks I will need in a rubbermaid trash can in the basement, add RODI/Saltwater and a powerhead and start to cycle the sand/rock? Essentially this is a 50% tank upgrade, with VERY little bioload, (2 clowns) but if it helps jump start the process, I have the time.

2) Any one have any good humidity suggestions for enclosing the sump? I run a 20L sump on my fresh water, but the stand allows for more air flow than the built ins will im sure (sliding 'barn doors' dont really close that well, and often get left open)
[/Questions]

This forum is amazing, you guys are super active and super helpful!

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

1) If you're transferring existing rock from your tank to the new one, than you'll be moving the beneficial bacteria with it. No need, or little need to pre-cycle additional rock unless you bought it live and it's going to have die off. I wouldn't bother with pre-cycling sand. I fully rinse all sand when transferring from one tank to another, and it kills everything beneficial I'm sure, but also removes any built up detritus. I would say just don't increase your bioload by adding more fish when you transfer, and you will be fine.

2) it's fairly common to hook up a small computer fan and use it to vent your stand for heat or humidity. May be a good option if you have somewhere to put one.Or maybe seal the inside of the sump area of the stand to water proof it from the humidity.

 

[Woogi]

1) Yeah so I would be ADDING rock, and was considering cycling the new stuff. But I think I am on the same page of, super low bio load, 'large' volume of water, and already moving 'cycled rocks' into it, then id likely be fine. (Again, I will be moving all current rock and sand from existing to new on 'moving' day)

2) That is the plan, both of those. A PC Fan (maybe if I get fancy, one triggered by humidity levels, monitored by an arduio etc) and Sherwin Williams finest 'anti mold, humidity capable' paint, that still passes the spouse test.