need advice with cycling a tank

[pepino]

ok i finally decide im upgrading from a 20 to a 55 with 20 sump i was wondering if i buy the water from my lfs and kust transfer all my live rock to the new tank and i will be using dry sand for how long do i need the tank to be cycle i have sanils and crabs and zoas xenias mushrooms and a clown fish and a goby any advice will be apprecciated

[ahullsb]

It's hard to guess. Having the established rock will help. What do you mean by buying water from the LFS? RO/DI or premixed saltwater? I wouldn't use their tank water if that was what you meant. I would guess that you have a couple weeks before it will cycle.

[Aquarist007]

There will be some cycling but you can probably get away with a week. I would suggest you also seed your new substrate with a cup of sand from the other tank--this will also help with the time for cycling

Remember that in order to hold the increased bioload you might add to the 55 you will need 55 llbs of live rock--assuming you have 20 in the the 20 gal.

If you are going to upgrade the amt of rock--do it slowly--5lbs a week because of the critters you have in there you do not want an ammonia spike

[kau_cinta_ku]

if you are gonna be using already cured rock from the established tank and no extra new rock. you may see a little mini cycle but nothing major. IMO get some prime or amiquel+ just to keep on hand and test daily.

[Aquarist007]

acutally what I would do is move the creatures and rock that you have, and cure the live rock in your not uninhabited 20 gal--then you won't have to worry about an ammonia spike

[Avi]

Set up the new tank...the 55-gallon tank using the water from the existing 20-gallon tank. Also put in the remaining water shortfall from a good water source. You can use water from your lfs if you can be sure their saltwater was mixed using an RO/DI water source. You can transfer all of the new sand and the live rock you now have right into the 55 at once it's filled with water (As you put the rock in, the tank will start to go into the overflows and water will begin filling the sump.)

You didn't say anything about adding more live rock so if all you intend to put in the new 55 is what you now have in your existing 20-gallon tank, you most likely won't even have a cycle. I'd say you can safely add the snails, crabs, xenia, etc. that you now have. I'd test frequently just to be sure, but most likely, you won't have a problem. If you start to see any trace of ammonia, do water changes. Thereafter, once you're sure you aren't going to have a cycle or if a mini-cycle finishes, you ought to add some more live rock...Make sure it's cured by a reliable source, though.

[pepino]

well i have a lot more then 20 pounds in the 20 gallon now i have alot of rock not sure how to tell how much rock i have since i got the tank from another reefer that it was already set up well i was planing on getting the water from my local lfs ro di mix saltwater im been getting the water from there to do my water changes and i wasnt planing on adding the water from the 20 since i didnt though was safe for the fish and corals

so you guys think i should use the water from the 20 and just add the water that i need to fit the 55??
thanks for the help

[pepino]

i apprecciad all the help guys
thanks alot

[_E_]

You should see a small cycle, but probably nothing too big. I would just seed the new sand with some of your old, move the rocks, and then move the livestock. Make sure you have a test kit so that you can monitor the cycle and do water changes if anything looks too bad. As for moving the water, no reason that you can't move it so long as you don't stir up the old sand. Finally, make sure the parameters in your new water is the same as your old water (pH & salinity) and don't add anything new till well after the cycle.
Eric

[bertoni]

Most often, tanks don't show much signs of a cycle with this type of transfer. Something on the live rock might die and cause a problem, though. I'd be ready with some Amquel and water for changes.