New saltwater setup

[Ajent]

Have an opportunity to buy a 33 gal tank that has corals and a couple of clown fish. It also includes a protein skimmer, filter, lighting, 50 lbs of live rock etc. This will be my first saltwater tank and I am wondering a couple of things. I assume I will have to keep a good percentage of his existing water to refill the tank with as it will already be cycled. Ultimately I want to convert my 50 gal to house the contents of the 33, so this new tank will be temporary. The temperatures in my area are starting to drop to around the freezing mark and I will be transporting it in my pick up, so do I have to be careful about the water getting too cold and killing the bacteria etc that is present in it? Anything else I should be aware of?

 

[Holygral]

the old water carries little to no beneficial bacteria, you would be way better off starting with fresh rodi mix. Keep the lr in water and warm, you are going to have some type of a cycle regardless, there is a reason we do water changes, because it wears out and all the trace elements are used up.

 

[melosu58]

the old water carries little to no beneficial bacteria, you would be way better off starting with fresh rodi mix. Keep the lr in water and warm, you are going to have some type of a cycle regardless, there is a reason we do water changes, because it wears out and all the trace elements are used up.

Great advice

 

[jeffaquarius]

I would use new substrate and just mix it with a handful of old to seed it. Just make sure the new water parameter is close to the old where your fish is while transporting. The only reason why some would use a small percentage of old water is to reduce shock for inhabitants to a new salt water. There is risk when doing 100% water change even in established tanks.

 

[Ajent]

Thanks for the information.