converting over

[tmantaylor18]

I have a 50 gallon tank thats been up for about 7 months now and im downsizing to a 12 gallon. The dude at the LFS sais it wont recycyle as long as i put my live rock in. Should i use my bio balls? Also i got new sand, will that have an effect.

[Bearbait]

If your going to do that I would use the same rock, since you got sand just take a small amount from your tank now and mix with it, also use the same water. then take half your bio balls and put them in the new set up and slowly start removing them a small amount every week or so until you have no more bio balls! replace them with live rubble rock, start doing small water changes and you shouldnt have a spike at all.