Just added live sand & rock...a few questions

[stars&stripes]

Hi, I'm sure this has been covered before, but search is not working. I am currently setting up a 100 gal and have just added about 50 lbs of live sand from my friends reef tank (I know I still need more) and about 50 lbs of live rock, all teeming with life. Both have been in his tank for 2 years. Needless to say my water looks absolutely horrible and I'm wondering a few things.

1. Should I keep my powertheads running or turn them off while the tank setles?

2. About how long shoud I expect before my water clears up?

3. Will the LR be ok in such a murky tank until the water clears? It is fully cured.

4. Should I expect alot of die-off? The sand and rock were transferred from one tank to the other over a 2-3 hour span and were kept in water the whole time.

Any input would be appreciated. Please tell me I didn't screw up. Thanks.

[yibs]

Turn off the powerheads but keep your filters running. Your tank might take a day or three to clear up depending how bad it is. Yes you can expect some die off with the cycling of the tank. The purple algae might turn white a little bit but it should turn purple again after the tank has been cycled.

[stars&stripes]

Thanks for the reply. My only filtration is my skimmer and the LR and sand. Sould I run the skimmer right now? I've been told to leave it off until cycling is complete? Is that wrong? Thanks again.

[yibs]

I'd turn off the skimmer right now. Might fill up pretty quick. As for during cycling I would leave it off. I don't remember exactly why but there was a good reason for it =)

[Spuds725]

I'm going to disagree with all that advice yibs (sorry).

I'd run everything-- you probably won't get a cycle if you were vigilant in keeping everything covered with water... as long as the temp didn't drop too much you should be fine.

THe cloudiness is most likely from the sand getting stirred up in the move-- the skimmer will help remove and solids in the water floating around-- the circulation will help keep the solids in the water column circulating around for your skimmer to pull out rather then settle back out.

The reason yibs recommended leaving the skimmer off during the cycle is that if you do get die off, the skimmer will remove stuff from the water and reduce the bioload your rock can handle.... since your rock is coming from a friend tank, the rock should be able to handle a decent bioload already so you aren't using a transfer die off to fuel a cycle-- most new rock doesn't have a big biocapacity since its coming either from the ocean (diluted) or an empty curing tank at a store (no fish in it)....so most people just transfer the rock moist (rather then wet) so there is a die off-- this dieoff fuels a cycle which gives your rock a bigger bioload.

IMO-- you may still get a die off from moving the sand if you killed some of the critters living in it during the move...I'd check for ammonia every day or two and see what you get...but I'd definitely run your powerheads and skimmer. I would not do a water change either.

I did a similar move last summer and had no detectable ammonia spike.

[stars&stripes]

Thanks alot for the tip. That's what I thought about not having much of a cycle since my sand and LR are well established and most definitely still alive. I've got little starfish, bristle worms, and gasp...aptasia putting on a little show as we speak. Hopefully I'll be able to see past the front glass tomorrow. My main concern is the sediment that is settling on top of my sand. I'm guessing it's some very fine detritus from within the sandbed, which settled out when I added the sand. I am now running the skimmer and powerheads, so hopefully it will clear up soon. Thanks again.

corey