bigger agressive tank, will it cycle?

S14_Silvia · 06-15-2005, 04:29 PM

I may end up buying a 75 gallon to use as a new agressive tank. I currently have a 55 with 2 triggers in it, crushed coral, and base rock. I may end up setting up the 75 with new sand, and different base rock.

My ? is will the tank cycle with new substrate, new base rock? Also, I would be using all of the old water from the 55 to fill it.

Tim224DT · 06-15-2005, 04:33 PM

I dont see why not. When i was setting up my 72 gallon tank i was told to take aboue 5 gallons of water out of my 15 gallon tank to help cycle my tank.

Tim

otolith · 06-15-2005, 04:53 PM

Yes it would cycle if you're not using all the old stuff from your current tank. You'd be better off setting up the 75, letting it cycle for a month after seeding it with some water/sand from your 55, then moving the fish...

David Grigor · 06-15-2005, 04:58 PM

The LR and the sand is where your bacteria and stuff live to break down the amonnia and nitrate that fish waste creates. Water itself will not do it. Like Derek mentions, if you were for example upgrading tanks and putting all your existing LR into the new tank then providing hasn't been out of water very long you would likely have no cycle. However, new rock, new sand, then yes expect sometype of cycle unless has already been fully cured.

S14_Silvia · 06-15-2005, 06:32 PM

It's NOT live rock. Just base rock I've had sitting around for a while. The only new addition would be some southdown and I would be using all of the old water from the 55.

tico mike · 06-15-2005, 06:39 PM

What makes you think base rock isn't live rock?

Jeremiah · 06-15-2005, 06:44 PM

Still going to take a while to grow the bacteria on that base rock before it's any good for filtration. So yes it's going to cycle. Even if you do a freshwater setup with all brand new clean rocks, and fresh water, it's going to cycle.

here is a pretty easy to follow description of what's going on during the nitrogen cycle.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bio...a/aa073199.htm

Jeremiah · 06-15-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tico mike

What makes you think base rock isn't live rock?

Any rock that I have seen that was labled "base rock" is totally dead and hasn't been in the water for a while, so therefore would not be live rock.

like this stuff. www.hirocks.com

tico mike · 06-15-2005, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

Any rock that I have seen that was labled "base rock" is totally dead and hasn't been in the water for a while, so therefore would not be live rock.

like this stuff. www.hirocks.com

I've bought "base rock" that was fully cured, just not anything on it.

tico mike · 06-15-2005, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S14_Silvia

have a 55 with 2 triggers in it, crushed coral, and base rock. .

Like this says.

Jeremiah · 06-15-2005, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S14_Silvia

My ? is will the tank cycle with new substrate, new base rock? Also, I would be using all of the old water from the 55 to fill it.

I was thinking by new he was talking about like the dry stuff.

On a side note, I used base rock to make my little half arch and it's only had water in it like 4 or 5 weeks now. And there are pods living all over in it and can even see a couple spots towards the top with some coraline on it. (the new acan I put on one of the ledges of my half arch makes it look pretty cool too

)

Also I have noticed that the base rock realy gets the hair algae on it way worse then the other live rock I have in there. Any ideas as to why this is, or maybe it's just chance? And unfortunatly mine isn't the "rare and exotic" hair algae either.

Loverotties · 06-15-2005, 11:14 PM

Shure it will.

David Grigor · 06-16-2005, 10:32 AM

Jerimiah, Dead Rock can get infested with hair algae very quickly if water quality is anything less than perfect and/or if you add too much dead rock at once. You can get by with it more likely when the tank is mature and existing LR has lots of coraline aglae.

Main reason is gets infested with algae is because there isn't any coraline algae on the rock to outcompete the hair. Once the coraline takes off your in the clear....but the catch 22 is that once hair take hold it won't grow the coraline.

Jeremiah · 06-16-2005, 04:22 PM

Thanks for the info, that makes sense. Maybe I am going to have spend the money on live rock for my new tank I am setting up this weekend. Either that or talk to mike about getting some of his rare and exotic hair algae at least.