Getting a new tank soon (1 Viewer)

[stealthfightrf17]

I will be upgrading my 40gal tank to a 75gal tank and am going to be using a marineland RR tank and stand with remevable sides. I will also be moving the location of the tank to a different spot. Would it be better to leave the 45gal tank up and running while I cycle the new tank or should I just make the transfer. If I just make the transfer keeping the current rock and sand about how long will the cycle take and will it be low in the testing or off the charts?

 

[RocketSurgeon]

If I had the time money and space, I would keep the smaller tank going till the larger tank cycled.

The amount of cycle depends on to much to answer, I would think. When I upgraded, I went through my cycle in less than a week.

 

[Tempset]

I agree with R.S.

 

[RGH69]

You can minimize the cycle impact and time on the 75 by "seeding" everything from the smaller tank. After you setup the 75, do a normal water change on the small tank and add the water to the large tank. Then start testing for ammonia and Nitrite. As soon as you start seeing one of those rising swap some sand and/or rocks, cheato, etc. After about a day you should see the water parameters improve.

 

[RocketSurgeon]

From my understanding, there is little benefit from existing salt water itself. the bacteria or whatever is in the sand and rock.
Only benefit from using existing saltwater is not having to make more.

 

[RGH69]

Actually you have two basic types of bacteria. aerobic (needs lots of oxygen) and anaerobic (need low oxygen). Aerobic bacteria live in the water column and on the surfaces of everything in the aquarium. Aerobic bacteria are the "Nitrifying" bacteria that convert Ammonia into Nitrite and then Nitrite into Nitrate. Then Anaerobic bacteria that live deep in the rocks (why Live rock is porous and live because of the living bacteria) and low in the sand (Why we should not disturb the sand beds too much) converts the Nitrates into harmful components. These are also known as de-nitrifying bacteria. The reason you wait for the parameters to rise is because the bacteria needs food.