# live rock/live sand...



## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

im still researching, switching over a 46 gallon bowfront to salt. i have a 3-4 inch base of tahitian moon sand that i really want to keep. is there a way to plant it with live sand, and remove the original sand later? any ideas? live rock and sand are supposed to speed up the cycle? after i get everything in order, i add the live rock and sand, how long should it take to cycle? how long would i have to wait before adding fish? with live rock and sand is it safe to cycle the tank with fish? or would it go faster with a fishless cycle?


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

Even with the live rock I wouldn't cycle a tank with fish in it unless they are damsels.

If you really want to keep the tahitian sand than go ahead. Add the live rock and let it cycle. The bacteria off the rock will spread and the tahitian moon snad will, in terms, be live sand.

Let the tank go through the cycle, even with the live rock it still needs to go through everything and get used to it first. You won't have to wait as long as a normal cycle without lr though. Maybe cut the time in half and that should give it enought ime to go through the whole cycle.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

i should go with a couple uncooked dead shrimp to start the cycle? or what other means to you think i should add ammonia?


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

Just leave the shrimp out.

The die off on the lr should be enough.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

so i get the tank rolling, add the live rock and sand. then just let it cycle? will i go through spikes like freshwater does? are my test kits that i already have ok for salt water use too?


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

If it says for saltwater than yes. I don't know what kind you have so I can't be certain. Some things like ammonia usually come for sw too and have aseperate chart to tell what the level is.

And yes it will go through some little spikes. Not as huge in fw though because the live rock already has bacteria to handle a lot of the ammonia.

A lot of people suggest the shrimp thing but in my experience there is no need to.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

ok i got cha... so about how long do you think this might take?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

2 weeks - 4 weeks depending on dieoff


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