transferring my reef

[Trigger Happy]

I have read the information on cycling and on setting up new systems but find myself a little confused on a some specific decisions I am facing in regards my biological filtration.

My new tanks and sump should be set up within a couple of weeks I want to transfer my reef directly into the new reef tank.
Q 1: Live rock
I have about as much live rock as would fit in a large milk crate in the existing reef display and I have bought 6 kilos of live rock that is being maintained at my LFS and which I can transport with no more "out of water" time than moving it from their tank into salt water filled buckets and then into the tank here. If I keep the "out of water" time to an absolute minimum, like less than a few minutes, can I consider this rock live and not likely to cycle?
Q 2: Live Sand
This is where I really feel out of my depth. I currently have 7cm of deep sand bed that has been undisturbed for 12 months, but has all that live rock sitting on it. 12 months ago it got stirred somewhat when the tank was moved but at that time we didn't have a cycle bad enough to kill anything off.
The DSB will move to the sump but the reef will need some sand, right? Do I use the existing sand or new sand alone (and if so do I expect a cycle) or do I get new sand now and "seed it"? Do I use the existing DSB and transfer it to the sump or start that with new sand? Do I use egg crate under the rock in the display and put sand "around it" to eradicate those dead spots I've read about?
If I don't put any sand in to begin with but just live rock, can my clownfish, mandarins and blenny move with it? If I do that can I put in new sand later?
I have another alternative, I can QT them but that will just be water and I expect they would be quite unhappy.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

 

[viperbjd]

Q1: Yes

Q2: I would get new sand now and seed it...using egg crate is a personal choice, I don't...if you get a good mix of snails for your clean up crew you don't have to worry so much about dead spots, some snails will clean your live rock that is under the sand and the sand around it...Now for the hard part...when you make your old tank the sump I would take out your rocks which will disturb the sand then a small layer of sand on top of the old sand, wait for it to all settle, and drain as much water out of there as possible...just be careful you don't agitate the sand when you put new water in and you should if anything have only a mini cycle...and I would always put sand before you put fish...I think I covered it all...:)

 

[Smitty]

+1 Viper...but as far as sand, I'd save a cup of your old sand, rinse the rest of it very, very, very well, and re-use it. Use the cup of old sand to seed the cleaned sand. Place the rocks in first before placing the sand in if possible...but if you decide to place the sand in later on, it won't be an issue.

 

[viperbjd]

Oh my bad...I read it wrong...I thought he was going to use his old tank as the sump...do what Smitty says...

+1Smitty

 

[Trigger Happy]

Thanks Lionel and Brian,,
This is good info and feed back, thanks for understanding where i was at and how to move on. I'll get a new sand bed going immediately, is it likely to be ready in 2 weeks if I use new, clean sand then add a cup of my old sand? Is there any way to know how "ready" it is? testing for amonia, nitrites and nitrates I guess:shock:

Natascha

 

[little_fish]

Having a ready sand bed isnt as important as having enough cycled rock.

 

[Trigger Happy]

Aha, this is the sort of thing I need to know! :^:
How do I work out how much rock I need? My system will eventually be 100g reef and 66g FOWLR with a common sump where I hope to keep the majority of the live rock as I'd prefer a minimalist scape with enough for the fish to hide in, room for anenomes and softies on the reef and space for the fish to live but not what I have now which is like a full on tank of rock with a few inches of swim space. I don't know how to work out how much live rock I need.

I have an additional 50 gallon tank for the sump that can be exclusive live rock, with some rockwork in the display tanks, more int he reef obviusly, will this be enough and do I need to fill it completely or can I keep adding over the next months?

I am very grateful for the help and hope I can help others in the future

 

[little_fish]

The general rule is 1-2 lbs per gallon, and I use the volume of the display tank. But you dont have to buy all live rock. You can buy dry rock and it will seed the rest of the rock. In a few months it will all be live.

I dont know where you would buy dry rock in Australia, but in the US I like this place. This will give you a good idea of what good dry rock looks like.
MarcoRocks Aquarium Products

You dont want land based rocks (if that makes sense) because they have a different mineral composition and can leach ichy stuff back into your tank. They are also much more dense. You want porous rock because it has far more surface area for bacteria to live on, which is your primary source of filtration.

I used that rock in my tank and within 4 months you couldnt tell what I got as dry rock and what was live.

The same goes for sand, no need to buy live sand. The cheap dry stuff (dont use kid play sand) you get at the LFS will become live in no time as well. You can seed the additional sand with a little bit of old sand from your setup now. But you do want to clean the majority of the transfer sand. It collects stuff over time and moving the sand with the junk in it will cause a cycle.

 

[AmberSunrise]

I just moved my 2 tanks to 1 and I transferred my rocks in buckets of water from one tank location to the new one, I think you will be ok but like you said keep it to a minimum.

I bought new sand and used a few large cups of my old sand to bring over some of the good bacteria. I would not transfer all the old sand its just going to be to gross.

 

[Trigger Happy]

Thanks Little FIsh. I am pretty sure I can get dry rock here no problem. Working it backward ( we're in metric down here) 166 gallons = 166 - 330 lbs = 70 - 140 kilos of live rock. Therefore if I fill my 50 g live rock tank + say 50 g more in the display tanks, I'm only 2/3rd the way to even a minimum live rock component. Hm, better get on with it and order some dry rock and work out some more space for it! Dry rock should also make it easier for me to aquascape something nice. :mrgreen:

 

[Trigger Happy]

I just moved my 2 tanks to 1 and I transferred my rocks in buckets of water from one tank location to the new one, I think you will be ok but like you said keep it to a minimum.

I bought new sand and used a few large cups of my old sand to bring over some of the good bacteria. I would not transfer all the old sand its just going to be to gross.

:smile: Must go look at your tank thread!

MM yeah, old sand - pewweee!