I think I know the answer but Ill ask the question for a second opinion

[spring007]

My friend wants to get a complete aquarium setup from Craigslist. That means all the sand rock corals fish and even the same water. He will be using the same sump but a different tank; a newer one.
My question is that would the aquarium actually go thru a cycle (nitrogen, diatom buildup etc..)? I think it won't but I may be wrong.

 

[Stingray12]

i do not think so

 

[TimBuna]

Everything might be stressed from the move, but sounds like you are moving all bacteria and fish from one place to the other.

 

[BIGgourami]

i;d ditch most of the water (except what the fish would be kept in) and just write it off as a big water change

SOMEthing is going to die in transit (bacteria, algea, sponges, coral, fish etc) so there will a little ammonia in ther somewhere.. once the tank is back up an running it will go away fairly quickly..

a TINY cycle at most

 

[spring007]

Everything might be stressed from the move, but sounds like you are moving all bacteria and fish from one place to the other.

That is true...all the fish will be stressed.

i;d ditch most of the water (except what the fish would be kept in) and just write it off as a big water change

SOMEthing is going to die in transit (bacteria, algea, sponges, coral, fish etc) so there will a little ammonia in ther somewhere.. once the tank is back up an running it will go away fairly quickly..

a TINY cycle at most

But wouldn't stirring up the sand increase the nitrate content in the water? The aquarium has a 5" thick sand bed.

 

[BIGgourami]

a small bit i guess.. deep sand beds have anaerobic bacteria which convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.. the only way i could see a nitrate spike happening was if he tirred up a bunch of **** that had settled in the sand and started to rot

 

[BIGgourami]

AND a nitrate spike isn't nearly as bad as a mini-cycle (an ammonia or nitrite spike)