Start a new tank w/water & sand from existing?

[austinsdad]

Thinking there's some way to seed the new with the old. Not sure about quantity needed for the new. Would like opinions.

Here's the plan. Consider the 75g main and 15g sump (20g filled 2/3rds way), 1 yr. old tank at about 90g of mature/old water.

New 40g breeder. Thinking about doing a 10g removal from the old/90g. Then using about 1 cup of old and adding to 1 bag to about 2 1/2 " in the new. Will also use about 10lbs of cured rock from old.

So, 10g water, 1 cup sand, and 10lbs rock from old tank into new. Complete with new sand and 30g new SW.

Do I have a tank ready for fish and coral? One fish at a time with 3 wks in between. 3 or four fish max.

The goal is a coral fragging tank. Xenia farm. Will have a small # of fish and crabs & snails. Will complete the rockscape with small rocks and ledges for xenia.

 

[austinsdad]

Bump 8)

 

[steve-s]

The added sand and rock from the 75 gal will definately speed things along, the water will do nothing essentially except mabye add some nutrient. It may well cycle quite quickly but I would not risk corals in it for the first 6 weeks or so after the cycle. Getting it established quickly is one thing, being stable enough for corals is quite another.

For soft corals, it would probabley be fine fairly soon after the cycle but I would be wary of LPS or SPS for at least a few months still. With SPS, I would personally wait 6-8 months. The Xenia should be safe to add after about 6-8 weeks as long as nitrates are low enough. They tend to crash and burn in unstable systems so be sure not to jump the gun so to speak. Especially if you will be adding fish.

Cheers
Steve

 

[austinsdad]

Sounds like a regular cycle, shrimp method or live rock would be more in order, huh?

 

[steve-s]

Adding "seeded" materials doesn't change much except the speed in which the tank cycles. It will create a much stronger biological base though. It is still a much better approach than starting from scratch but it really doesn't allow for cutting cornners so to speak. At least not that I would recommend.

I would still do what you've suggested above. You will most likely need an additional ammonia source but it should move along at a much faster rate.

Cheers
Steve

 

[lando]

If you have a few LFS you trust just ask them for a couple of cups of sand from their reefs. This will save you from taking it all from your exsisiting 90gal. I ended up with over 10lbs of free LS by going to five LFS for substrate when I started my nano.

 

[austinsdad]

I kinda thought about that. Of course, from their non-coppered water. But I was concerned about any diseases. If the sand is from one tank, linked to 20 other tanks, how concerned would you be about checking each fish in each tank for white spots?

I'm, leaning towards shrimp cycling for the full # weeks it takes. Then, in one day, adding the new sand, a large old rock w/xenia from the main, small pcs of cured rock, and maybe a single cup of sand from my main (for what at this point, I'm not sure - input pls if any one will). Probably within that week, adding a fish. Most likely a small rock hugger. Then a few smail hermits.

Oh yeah, w/the new sand, I'll also add some of that to my existing tank. Need to fashion a funnel of some sort to add to the rear of the tank in areas I can see thru the rocks. Darned pistol shrimp!

Any holes in 'da plan? Improvements? This is intended to be a xenia (and maybe other small coral) farm. I just gotta remember that as I go along and not treat it as much like a real tank with fish being the focus.

 

[austinsdad]

If someone can help the above, there's one more Q I need to throw in about the 230w MH lighting for this 40g breeder tank - I think about 18" tall.

How far above the water surface should they be hung? I've got 17" to work with.

 

[steve-s]

The plan sounds just fine so far. The only thing I would advise is waiting a few weeks after the rock and sand have been moved before any animals. You need to be sure of the tanks stability before adding animals, especially Xenia. It will do a meltdown in short order otherwise.

Once the Xenia is added, wait an additional two weeks before adding the fish.

As far as the MH, if 230 was a typo and you meant 250w, I would go about 8-10" distance from the water line. It really depends on the wattage of each bulb. The higher the intensity, the more height needed. The ability to disapate heat will also be a factor.

Not sure I understand what the funnel is for?

Cheers
Steve

 

[austinsdad]

To get new sand to the back of the tank in between the rocks. It's less than an inch back there because of my pistol shrimp.

He may move more out front if I do that, huh? Leave it alone?

 

[steve-s]

Adding more sand won't solve the problem. The shrimp will just move it again. Having a lower amount of sand in one area is not going to hurt anything either. Personally I would leave it be. There's no way of controlling something like that.

Cheers
Steve

 

[austinsdad]

Wish there was some other way to thank you for your help. Kudos just don't seem to do it enuf.

Sounds like I got a firm plan to proceed with!

Maybe I'll drum up some support from the admins to keep you on a retainer? Yeah, I know, it won't happen, but I'm sure there are others that feel the same way. Hey, if you got a favorite charity, PM me w/the address. I can do small stuff, and I'm very serious 'bout 'dat.

Thanks again.

 

[steve-s]

No worries. As long as it helps we're all good.

Cheers
Steve