Tank upgrade questions

[Toddp65]

Hi all,
In the process of upgrading my 4 year old 28 nano cube (predominantly sps) to a 60 rimless cube with a 20 gallon sump.

I have approximately 40 lbs of Marco rock thats been sitting and preparing itself for the upgrade for a few weeks. I have approximately 25 lbs of live rock in the nano that I don't want in display because of caulerpa and some hair and some aiptasia. I have new reef flakes waiting to go in new tank, I don't want to use any of the crap sand in the nano I believe it's been the cause if my nutrients and algae issue for years.

Sooo... What I I put as much of the live rock as I can in the sump and all the sry rock, maybe a couple pieces of the live rock also, in the display? I have already placed a couple pieces of the Marco in the 28 to become seeded a month ago. I want to avoid as much of a cycle as I can if one at all. I have heard using the water from the old system for new isn't really much of a bacterial advantage.
Long winded here...thanks

 

[Daytonareefing]

The old water will help a lot with as much liverock as possible to prevent cycling. I have done it that way myself many times. It may still cycle but not much because of the new sand. I like the new tank it looks like it will be a sweet setup. Having rock in the sump will help filter the tank a lot. Do you have any pictures of the old tank with the corals in it?

 

[Toddp65]

I'll take a new one later. It has a bunch of GHA I haven't been as anal since I'm setting this new one up

 

[redfishbluefish]

When you say the rock has "been preparing itself for the upgrade," what does that mean? Have you been curing it? Any dry rock needs to be cured (and cycled). The curing allows all the death in the rock to release their nitrates and phosphates while the cycling allows bacteria to colonize the rock.

Need to cure....that really can't be accelerated....and usually takes around four weeks.

Cycling can start along with the curing process and can be accelerated by using products such at Tim's One and Only or BioSpira.

 

[Toddp65]

This rock is the Marco rock, it is not dead or dry rock. It doesn't necessarily need to be cured. It was moved from the keys

 

[Toddp65]

I intend on using one of those bacterias just in case but the rock by rights could just be added without any type of prices but they recommend letting it sit in saltwater for a few weeks not necessarily curing it- I'm not trying to colonize it just eliminate phosphates...

 

[Toddp65]

*cycle

 

[Russ265]

i use marco rock and it never gave out phosphates ime.

you could "break" the live rock in to rubble and keep the pieces that are free of macros.

dr tims would also speed it up ime

sweet tank btw

 

[Toddp65]

Water test of tank and plumbing complete. It's hard dealing with such a small confined stand plus I haven't plumbed a reef since 2003!

 

[Russ265]

looking sharp

 

[Toddp65]

Oh, and add per request a picture of my 28... You me it's an eyesore, it's headed downhill. I don't like the LEDs because they are only blue and white and took bright because I wasn't smart enough to get dimmable ballasts and I know nutrients in the sandbed contributing to algae and perhaps loss of SPS color..