Allow me to put it this way.
1 - You have had the water sitting for how long?
2 - You have turned the power head off for how long at a time?
3 - You did not run a heater in this container.
Now let me ask you this:
What do you think the chances are that there is any Good Bacteria left alive in it?
Further more the beneficial bacteria that you actualy want transfered in to your new system is in your live rock & sand. There is very little in the water column.
Hope that helps.
Tunicata, why do you turn off your sump? I don't understand.