How/when to break down a nano and add it to the new mommy tank?

ylmaya · 05-22-2003, 06:59 PM

OK - now that the 65G is up and running - I wanted to use the sand from the 12G nano I've had running for 2 years as my "live sand" to seed the new bed.

Would it be better if I just get some new live sand and wait until all the rock is cured and the new system is stable and THEN add all the stuff from the 12G in at once? (sand, rock, snails, crabs, and a few polyps)

Do I use ALL the sand from the nano - or just the top layer? The sand bed in there is about 3" deep.

SAT · 05-23-2003, 03:52 PM

Early on, all I would take from the nano is one rock and maybe a cupful of sand. Any critters you move over before the new rock cures will probably die. That rock will introduce some aquarium-acclimated bacteria, which will get to work more quickly than wild bacteria from the new rock (bacteria take a while to acclimate to aquarium conditions).

Once the cycling is complete, you can more over your old rocks, critters, and the top 1" of sand. The lower sand layers are probably pretty foul. You can reuse it, but you'll need to thoroughly rinse it out first.

ylmaya · 05-23-2003, 05:45 PM

I ended up buying a bunch of new live sand for the "mom" tank - I'll wait the 2 weeks or so for it to cycle through and then bring over the stuff from the nano- you are right - I'll only use the top inch - I don't even really need more sand in the new 65G....

THANKS!