Will I screw things up by doing this?

[dmbfreek]

I know I have asked this question here before but got a few different opinions about it.
I have a small 12g eclipse with about 20 or so lbs of LR in it. The tank has been set up for 6 months and doing very well.
My question is can I use the water, rock and a couple cups of my sand (to help seed the unseeded sand) and add them to my new 30g cube w/10g sump will I have any problems with the tank going into another cycle?
I will be adding about 27g of uncycled and 12g of cycled water from my little tank.
going from this

to this

Thanks for any help on this and sorry for asking the same question before. I just don't want to kill anything.

 

[burning2nd]

hmm.... im leaning to a small or new cylce...

maybe more prep time?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Any big change will create new cycling

 

[tike]

New cycle...........................

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

In theory...

If you're transferring all existing rock and not adding any new, and the rock is literally coming out of one and going into another, you *may* get by without a cycle.

BUT... I wouldn't count on it. I'd assume you're going to have at least a small mini cycle and plan accordingly.

You refer to "cycled" water and "uncycled" water. It's all just water... the majority of the bacteria is living in your rocks and sand. The only thing beneficial about transferring existing water is that the parameters stay the same. It won't effect whether or not the tank cycles or not.

 

[dmbfreek]

OK, If you were me what steps would you do? Would you give it a try or just start over with the 30g?

 

[returnofsid]

to start with, transferring water won't do anything at all. The beneficial bacteria we want doesn't live in the water column. It lives on the glass, on and in the live rock and in the live sand. Putting some live rock and live sand in with the new will help speed up the cycle...however, you'll probably have a cycle. It'll really depend on how much dead material is on the uncured rock you're putting in there. the more dead or dying matter, the more of a cycle you'll get. If you get a large cycle (large ammonia build up) it'll most likely kill anything on your existing live rock. I'd suggest you treat your new tank as if you're going to have a complete cycle. test...test...test.

 

[morgan]

i have seen 2 of my mates et-up reef tanks after seeing my tanks
they both bought cured live rock
tank1:15kgs in 165L of water
tank2: 20kgs in a 200L
the rock was cured and full of life e.g. 3 differnt colours of coraline lots of differnt seaweeds, sponges, sea squirts and mussels and even some coral in tank1.
tank1 had a galaxea on 1 of the rocks that was almost all dead except for 10c peices of remaining felsh, there was also a large favide. the galaxea re-grew over the dead skeleton in 2 weeks, he also added a fish on the first day and started adding coral a week later no cycle to speak of and he has never had hair algea
Tank2 was setup even quicker
with a fish added the first day and the second both fish are small juv. on the second day he added a neon green finger about 20 discmorphs a very small xeina and a nempeatha
while i do think he added alot of coral way to soon i dont think he will lose anything except for the nempeatha which may be a filter feeder and not process light

what im trying to say to u is that if u got more cured live rock off a fellow reefer then u should be abel to change tanks with out any problems at all as loing as u dont stress ur bioload then u should be good

also the tanks did not have live sand just beach sand
also the tanks dont have sumps or fuges just a shody hang on skimmer and live rock for the win

 

[Scooterman]

I would need another pick of the cat to see how we can get this done with little cycling.

Question is, will you be putting in additional LR at the same time?

 

[dmbfreek]

Not putting in any new rock, just the rock from the 12 which is fully cured.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not putting in any new rock, just the rock from the 12 which is fully cured.

I would be more concerned with removing rock from the tank where the rock is already in equilibrium with the fish. Small cycle in a new tank, no biggy. Any cycle in an established tank is a real pain!!!!!

Leave the primary display alone and buy some cured live rock for the new tank then gradually transfer contents...

 

[Scooterman]

The problem with making the move is the SB!
I would say with a new SB, make all 100% new water, same temp. & salinity & just move the LR & tank over but your tank is relying on the sb also to handle part of the load. Is there fish in there at all?

 

[dmbfreek]

1 GSM clown and cleaner shrimp.

 

[Scooterman]

With all your corals & one fish & shrimp, it would probably load up your new tank If you tried to just move the LR with it. It isn't an easy answer IMO, I would use caution & establish the new tank first. You don't have much rock, lots of corals but only one fish & shrimp, IMO light load but you'll need more LR anyways. Get you 20lbs of LR, add about 5lbs of your old lr in there & cycle it. Then move over the corals & fish & wait a week or so to move the last 15lbs of rock, adding only 5lbs at a time over a few days. Not worth the risk IMO!
Yes you may be able to just jump everything over but suggesting it would come with the risk of you loosing your fish & maybe corals, It can be done but is it worth it to hurry up a few weeks?

 

[dmbfreek]

No, you're right. I think that I'll just cycle the tank and play it safe. Thanks for all the help guys!