Live Rock Cycling

[Shaner]

My established 75 gallon reef tank leaked and I was forced to pull everything out and put it into spare tanks and buckets.

My questions is this: I am expecting some transitional die off with my rock from going from tank to a circulated bucket to new tank, but should I expect the lengthy cycle I expierenced when I first cured the rock in my new tank?

I would like to get my inverts back in the new tank asap but if I should expect a <<big>> ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spike I'll try to hold off as long as possible. But life in a 18 gallon rubbermaid makeshift tank has me a bit worried.

Thanks

 

[bashcraft]

No one can answer this without knowing how long and how well the rock was taken care of while it was in the buckets. Maybe everything died, maybe nothing died.

Bob

 

[Katspaw]

It's a difficult call. How long has the rock been in a tub, and did you provide circulation, lights and heat for it. If its been sometime without the proper requirements, then you will go thru a big cycle again. But if you did supply all of the needed requirements and it hasn't been a long time, you should be okay.

Tracey

 

[Shaner]

Good Points - The Rock was well established and cared for (over 2 years) while in the tank with good corraline algae growth. In the buckets I used the water from my 75 gallon, heater, and a circulation pump (small rio). I varied lighting from natural daylight to artificial (I oly had two extra lights to split between 4 buckets so I rotated them) I didn't stack the rock on top of each other and there was circulation between pieces. This was setup for about 1-1/2 weeks almost 2. The big identifier for me is that there was no smell (I think we all know what I'm talking about here).

HTH

 

[Shaner]

^

 

[SPC]

Shaner, it sounds to me like your rock is in excellent shape, I would not expect enough die off to worry about.
Steve

 

[Katspaw]

I agree with SPC, You should be okay, once you get the rock going back in, look (smell) for any bad pieces.

Tracey