Upgrade to 125g. Have a few questions??

Just got a 125 g tank over the weekend. Had to breakdown full system that has been running strong for 8 months. Had about 8 fish 5 pieces of coral lots o sand and LR. Has a wet/dry sump filter. Currently have a 20g X High packed with coral. So the upgrade came at a perfect time. Once the tank is ready we will combine the tanks
So I got this beast moved and set up Saturday. Still waiting for new light and should be here tommorow. My questions are about the cycle process. We brougt the existing water and most of the sand. Did have to add about 3 bags of new Fiji pink sand. With that I noticed a huge spike in
my nitrates and ammonia. Figured it was common but how long would you wait till you introduced my coral to the new tank.

Is there anything to do to help cycle faster ? I heard there was an clam or oyster that sucks out nitrates. Is that true?

Any advice would really help. Thanks

 

the stirring of the sand is going to cycle the tank again...it will be a waiting game to see how long your cycle lasts....could take a week, could take a month...everyone's case is different...I moved a tank from a 55 to a 70, and used MicroBacter7 by Brightwell Aquatics, and it completed a cycled in about 5 days..and has been going strong since..its a predator aqaurium tho..

 

don't add a clam or oyster. YES they do "eat" nitrates from the water column, but they need otherwise pretty clean water. ammonia and nitrites would probably be too high.

Best to just let it cycle. With the same water and LR and mostly old sand it shouldn't be long for the tank to resettle. Days, probably not weeks.

 

I figured as much but I heard that might help. I tested my levels and here they are.
Ammonia - 2.5
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 80 I think. Pretty close to 160.

This Is a little too high

I do have fish and some coral and inverts. Just hope this spike does kill it off. Should I do a 10% WC.

Thanks for all the advice

 

with that level of ammonia I would say the cycle is still working itself out... nitrates are 80 or 160? 160 would be really high.... I would be worried about the corals myself... never seen my ammonia above .5 since my main cycle ended.

 

add some chaeto or other macroalgae in dt tank?

 

Hopefully your trites dont spike . . . mine did after a move a couple weeks ago and I'm still crying over all the lost livestock. If I was to go through it all again I would have had a huge water change ready to go at the first sign of trouble, I advise you to do the same.

~Will.

 

Yeah I am planning on doing a 20% wAter change on Thursday. Hope that helps. All coral and fish look great. Crazy. I will be watching closely for any changes

 

Sorry for hijacking, but I was reading your thread, FLReef, and noticed your avatar. I have a 120 FOWL, and just added some new rock. The picture you have looks exactly like a hitchhiker on my rock, and I am wondering what exactly it is. It moves all over the place...