ok, so here goes, some mud, anyone?

[OrangeKoi]

Ok, So I'm a noob with noob ideas, ok? But check this out.

I've been running a little 5.5 for a little over a year now. It is bursting with amphipods. You know, there's lots of cool stuff really, that's why I like this salty stuff. I just found a very pretty mini brittle star the other day. At least I think it's a mini!

So, as I've mentioned, it has a lot of life.

The thing is, I put a very thin layer of miracle mud(about a generous 1/4 inch) under my sand, which ranges from 1 inch to 1/5 inch or less under the rocks as well as about 3 or 4 inches mixed with a little layer of crushed shells into my ac 300 mini refugium.

I've been thinking that I really like this salty tank better than the freshwater and I need my shelf space back. One of the tanks needs to go. So, I'm thinking that I'm willing to buy the lights for the 30 gallon cube at this point.

I want to keep the "age" of the little 5.5 and bring it to my 30 gallon cube. But I also need some more LR. That seems pretty certain. I will also need to do the bottom. So I'm thinking a thin (again, about 1/4 inch) layer of miracle mud with the nice sand on top. Maybe add a little live sand too. That with the amount of sand I have already should come out to a proportion very similar to what I'm doing in my 5.5.

I put in some Larger LR to build on, let that cure for awhile (I'm guessing a month, right), then add the rocks and everything from my 5.5 as well as the filtering system. So I'll have a filter system using a polyfilter and the ac 300 mini refugium that I built. I run it with the lights I have till the new lights arrive.

Now, I've gotten some slack for thinking it's good to use the mud in the tank. I just can't figure out why. It's not deep so nitrates shouldn't be a problem. It's just acting as a sort of seed bed. Full of life, you know.

And If I'm not mistaken, this might also help dispurse the weight of the LR too, without the pinpoint issue the sand brings, am I right?

Ok, now, What are your thoughts?

[rustybucket145]

I see no problem with the mud layer. Especially since it seems to be working for you. I have a 4" mud layer in my fuge topped with prolly bout an inch of aragonite to hold the mud down and keep it from clouding the tank.

Sounds like you've got everything right in line and on track. I would definately seed the new tank with a rock and a couple of cupfuls of sand/mud from your existing tank then let it cycle and add another rock and a couple more cupfuls of sand/mud. Let that marinate for a couple of weeks and you should be good to go with swapping the livestock over.

[OrangeKoi]

excellent! I love hearing that. That is just what I was originally thinking before I was redirected. Seeding it with a rock from my little tank is a new thought. There certainly is pleanty in there to do that.

I also found a place that sells cured LR. I'm hoping that I can use that to put in so I can actually break down the little tank faster. After it sits for a week... or two?

Thanks.

[WaterKeeper]

My only comment about "Mud" is that it tends to be expensive and, IMO, is not better a filtration media than plain, fine LS. However, if it is giving good results then go with it.

You will want to cure the LR for the new tank in a separate curing vat. That allows you to dump the nasty water and not place it in that brand new tank. Otherwise, your plan sounds good.