new setup

[daniellin]

I am setting up a new 40 breeder for my friend and using 60 lbs live rock from my another tank, 4 bags of CaribSea live sand but only around 20% of old saltwater. How long it takes to get fully cycled and when can I put fish and coral ? Thanks for any advice.

 

[wildernets]

Testing the water is the only real way to know. That being said it should not take very long if you used rock that had already cycled and live sand.

 

[daniellin]

wildernet;928054 wrote: Testing the water is the only real way to know. That being said it should not take very long if you used rock that had already cycled and live sand.

Yeah, good point, to test the water. My concern is that I have been told the almost brand new saltwater will "kill" the old live rock and I probably still need to wait at least 6 weeks to start putting livestock in it.

 

[wildernets]

I have not heard that.

 

[nickh06]

daniellin;928064 wrote: Yeah, good point, to test the water. My concern is that I have been told the almost brand new saltwater will "kill" the old live rock and I probably still need to wait at least 6 weeks to start putting livestock in it.

I disagree with that statement. I used about 3/4 brand new water when I upgraded tanks and didn't have any problems with die off. I kept the live rock in buckets full of old salt water when I was doing the switch so they weren't left out too long. Should only take a week or two to cycle, maybe not even if you are careful.

 

[daniellin]

Nickh06;928182 wrote: I disagree with that statement. I used about 3/4 brand new water when I upgraded tanks and didn't have any problems with die off. I kept the live rock in buckets full of old salt water when I was doing the switch so they weren't left out too long. Should only take a week or two to cycle, maybe not even if you are careful.

OK, good to know new water won't effect the live rock. Now is the 12th day. Ammmonia and nitrite still 0 but nitrate is 25 ppm. Is this normal ?

 

[redstang]

daniellin;929295 wrote: OK, good to know new water won't effect the live rock. Now is the 12th day. Ammmonia and nitrite still 0 but nitrate is 25 ppm. Is this normal ?

What were nitrates when you started? Did you dose ammonia, fish food, dead shrimp, anything, to give the biofilter something to work on?

 

[picoreefguy]

daniellin;928064 wrote: Yeah, good point, to test the water. My concern is that I have been told the almost brand new saltwater will "kill" the old live rock and I probably still need to wait at least 6 weeks to start putting livestock in it.

i can kinda see that being possible but its not the fact that its brand new water thats going to "kill" the live rock its that the bacteria wont have anything to eat because its new water. if you place something in the tank to feed the bacteria than you would be fine using 100% brand new water

 

[daniellin]

RedStang;929336 wrote: What were nitrates when you started? Did you dose ammonia, fish food, dead shrimp, anything, to give the biofilter something to work on?

I did not test nitrate at begining and did it until around the 10th day. I only use live rocks, live sands and 2 hermit crabs and 2 snail to start with.