Seeding a friend's tank - just checking

Hi to All,

A coworker of mine recently got a brand new Biocube 29 setup from a relative who was not going to use it. She is really excited because she absolutely loves my tank.

That said, she and her husband set the tank up with brand new "dry" rock and sand. I was explaining the "cycling" process to her and that as a way to help her kick-start her rocks and sand that I would give her some of my sand and a couple of small pieces of established rock.

Just wanted to check with the community here: how much sand should I provide her with?

In addition, I can certainly scrape some coralline off my tank walls and give her that too...

Does she just carefully dump my sand and scrapings into her tank WITHOUT stirring it into the sand bed?

Do the scrapings need to be dumped over her rocks?

Please advise - I am so happy to be able to help a new reefer get started - but want to be sure I do not mess anything up in helping her start the tank cycling process.

Some quick input is appreciated.

(and yes, I will encourage her to join us all on 3reef!)

thanks!
elizabeth

 

a cup of sand wil lwork fine. yes just slowlyh add it on top of the other sand so you dont get a dust storm. lol. you can a bit to different parts of the sand so its dispersed a bit better.

the coraline , if youre gonna give them scrapings, they can put that in all different spots too. very nice of you to help out like that onefish

guy

 

Yea, no special care is really needed, especially with the coraline, it will find it's way around the tank soon enough. As for the sand, a cup sounds good.

 

Guy,

Thanks so much! She is absolutely thrilled at getting a whole new setup for free. She and her husband want very much to approach this the right way - therefore I want very much to help them the right way too!

If anything, my being able to help someone out is a direct reflection on all of you here at 3reef. Who knew that I would now know enough to be able to help someone else out as they start their tank and learn about the great joys of reefing? "Just paying it forward" as the saying goes.

I am going to meet them at a LFS later this week to meet the owner there and to help them with learning about what is involved with a full water testing, cycling, etc.
It also gives us all "drool time" as far as checking out what the LFS has etc.

elizabeth

 

sounds like you have it all under control elizabeth. very cool youre helping like you are.

remember dont let them see you drool, its not very ladylike.

 

haha.....sadly some things just cannot be helped!
At the very least I always accessorize with a coordinating drool towel so at least I am stylish!

Anything that I may have "under control" is 3reef's doing!