starting over with old water

[metalmagic]

If I use someone elses water change water to start my tank will I still need to cycle? If so how long....I have been in salt for a while but this is only the second time I have started from the beginning

 

[Mandrew]

Yes you're cycle really won't be affected much. It still takes like 3-4 weeks. If you started with someone else's live rock then it's a different story.

 

[juggalogentry]

yes you will still need to cycle, and if the tank the water is from is already established it wont have anything but the end processes of their own cycle (nitrate and phosphates probably), this being the case, imo itd be best to just start new

 

[juggalogentry]

Yes you're cycle really won't be affected much. It still takes like 3-4 weeks. If you started with someone else's live rock then it's a different story.

yes now there is probably what you are looking to do, using substrate and rock rubble from an established tank will import bacteria and get it going with a helping hand

 

[metalmagic]

Ok my rock was wet a week ago but everything died while I was on vacation so I decided to drain, clean and move it so I could start fresh

 

[vic67]

I agree that starting over is best. The good/nitrifying bacteria lives on the LR surface and not in water. A cup of sand of a piece of LR from a running tank would be a good boost for the cycling stage.