couple questions

[Toua]

Okay so i will be moving so i have to plan ahead and take notes as to setup my new tank when i'm settled. I will be wanting to use my live rock and sand and my base rock (which i believe are seeded now). I've been reading around and want to eliminate the chances of getting worms into my new tank. I don't believe I have any in my current tank but i do not want to risk it because tearing down a 75-100 gal tank is just not something i would want to do. What would be the best way to go about doing this? I was thinking that i would fill a bucket full of freshwater and put each peice of live rock in there for about 1-5 mins? all the lifeforms living in the rock should dart out right? after that i'll brush the rock where i can then put it into the tank. I know this will create some die off but the die off should help in cycling the the new tank right? also for the sand, i know it's been seeded because i see alot of pods at night. what i am planning to do is to empty my current tank to about half then just stir it all up, then siphon all the water out and reuse half the sand there with half new sand. also i had a question about water flow.

can i use this pump (rated at 898 gph)
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 004+113041

for this product? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 004+113041

if i were to do this setup and have 3 flow spots, would it be equivalent to having 3 powerheads running in the same 3 slow spots?

all inputs would be great. thanks guys. sry for the long post.

 

[Brian5000]

I'm confused. You are setting up a new system using live rock from your old one, right? Where are these worms going to come from? And what are these worms that you're so afraid of?

If you're talking about brissleworms, they're actually harmless (just take a look at the hitchhiker post by Mr. X: http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=103664). Only fireworms are harmful, which I think is a carribean version of brissleworm. They are extremely rare though since live rock rarely comes from there.

Copepods also fall under the same category. Both they and brissleworms feed on crud rotting in your tank and help keep it clean.

Live rock is the thing that cycles in an aquarium, once it's done that, it's ready to support fish no matter what container it's in. My vote is to leave the rock alone when you transfer it to your new tank.
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blue moonshine

 

[mr_X]

i agree with brian. leave the live rock alone. bristleworms are beneficial to a reeftank.

 

[Toua]

okay thanks, i will do that, so just take out and drop in with the rocks then. will there be die off from the rocks once it hits the air or should i try to start the cycle with some fish food? and i'm sorry if my post was confusing but i was also talking about new live rock that i am to get from the lfs. or should i just drop those in too? thank you.

 

[mr_X]

just fill your tank, and add the live rock.
if you purchase "cured" live rock, the cycle should be smaller than if you used uncured.
i prefer to use uncured live rock, and let it cycle the tank. give it a good 3 or 4 weeks before you add anything else (make sure the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are at zero).
i really don't think you'll need to add anything else to the tank to start the cycle.

 

[Brian5000]

Unless you have some super delicate sponge on your live rock, you will not have any die off so long as you keep it moist. Die off and cycling only apply to new rocks because they've been shipped half way around the world in nothing but a crate. If immediately transfer (and you have a few hours) 2 year old live rock and sand to a new, empty aquarium, you still end up with a 2 year old system. The fact that there's a new glass box involved doesn't really matter.

Just worry about the new rock you buy.
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Honda Pilot