Mixing old and new sand

[110gTj]

I have a few questions..not off topic either. Ok, I am about to move into our new house FINALLY next week or so. I will be setting up a 110g tank drilled wit ha corner overflow. I have sand that was in my old tank and will need to add about 20 or so more pounds to it for a total of about 85 lbs of sand. Now the old sand is sitting in a 5g bucket on my back porch and have dried out completely. Can I just mix the old sand with the new sand and be good to go as far as sand goes? Next I have found loads of washed up rock from the canaveral national seashore that I was wanting to put in my tank. It was alive at some point because you can see where organisms once lived. Is that ok to put in my tank? Lastly I Just want to try to make sure this goes as well as it can. I will be buying of course some actual Live rock from my LFS as well. what are your thoguhts anyone?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[thincat]

I would wash the sand and the dried out LR. Then add the new sand. Put the rock down and add the sand. Add your ammonia to start the cycle again and wait for readings to come to 0 and you should be good to go.

 

[melosu58]

I`m not a fan of using old sand. Too much trash in it. But if you decide to use it wash it out really good and put it down and put the new sand on top for that fresh white look. Add you LR and cycle the tank. You might have enough die off on the LR to start your cycle. If not you`ll need to add an ammonia source as TC said.