seeding a Pico

[nanofreak]

I have a 75 reef fully established. I bought a bag of live sand. can I take my tank water and add it to pico tank and let it run. would there be a cycle.?

[jenglish]

Is there going to be any liverock in the system? I would personally just use the sand that is in your 75 to start the pico as well as water and then there should be a minimal cycle. I think you will find your tank's live sand is a little bit more alive

[nanofreak]

Yea true I didnt wanna disturbe my sand. There will be LR I figured the So called Live sand in a bag plus LR and my tank water would be ok. Do you feel that would work.

[jenglish]

Yes, it should work. I would still watch for a mini cycle. The bagged live sand can be live (bacteria wise) or it can be just wet sand full of phosphates depending on how it was shipped and stored. I might still take a measuring cups worth or a handful of your tank's sand to throw in. I have exchanged dry for live out of my tank for locals to get them a start. Disturbing the sand bed enough to get a cup of sand is not likely to have any repurcusions. The sand out of your tank may also have pods, shrimp or beneficial worms. Then again your live rock you use may also supply those critters.

[nanofreak]

Yea good point ill do both and let it run for some time before I do anything you think with Lr some soft coral nothing major a small clown will bhe ok tank is 2.5

[jenglish]

2.5 is pretty small, are you asking clown goby or clownfish? I think a clownfish would get somewhat big. Most "pico" tanks I see are mostly soft coral setups with maybe a single shrimp. I have not tried to keep anything below a 10 though. I would say you will definately have to watch the tank close with a fish.

[nanofreak]

even a small fish lets say like size of a quarter mabye 1 damsel fish

[bcrum51]

save the fish some stress and leave them out of the tank maybe a clown goby or there are a few other tiny gobys out there that would be a better choice

[jenglish]

I think that some of the smaller gobies are probably a better choice than a damsel. A fish that sits on the bottom is going to be happier in a small tank than one used to lots of swimming.

[nanofreak]

yea thats fine something like that is cool