Cycle and tank migration question

[n2everythg]

I setup my 54 bow front corner tank the first of Jan. Threw in a couple of cocktail shrimp and let them sit for 2 weeks.

On the 16th one week ago I put in 30 lbs of uncured LR. After 3 days my ammonia was at about 2.0 so I did a 1/4 water change. Kicked it back to about 1.0. Watched it drop for the last several days to now at about .25. Nitrite is now high at about 3.0. did approx 15 gal water change today and my levels are now:
SG - 1.025
ph - 8.2
Am. - .25
Nitrite - 2.0
Nitrate - 15
Didnt bother to measure anything else.

Question is this. I'm thinking I have about 7-10 more days before levels drop. I hope. The LR that I put in has some indication of some pretty cool corals that I dont want to loose. I see a brain, some acro and monti. Cant tell if it is going to make it or not. So I moved my 250W MH from my 20 gal tank to the 54 tonight. Thought I would start out at 4 hr cycles. What do y'all think?

My 20 gal tank has 9 lbs of LR with some cool stuff on it. I have an encrusting monti that came on some LR I purchased from a LFS and it has been coming back well under the MH and a cool acropora that is doing great... Anyway, I dont want to move this rock to the 54 until my cycle is complete. I also dont want it to die. So I put all the lights I have in the house on the 20.

This includes a 40W NO 10K light. A 30W T5 with one 10K and one Actinic. and a 15W NO 10K light. So I figure about 4.25 W/gal. I cant hardly fit all the lights on the top of the tank. Might have to hang one over the side.

Also the 20 is now skimmerless. I have a HOB filter that I converted to a fuge with chaeto. I figure that I will do 1/4 water changes about every weekend until I move the stuff out of the 20 gal. Any other suggestions on how to keep my rock and shrimp alive until cycle is complete on 54.

Anyway, Think the Acropora and the Monti will be OK until my 54 completes the cycle? When should I consider moving the LR from the 20? Not till the 54 cycle is entirely complete?

Also I was going to move the argronite sand from the 20 to the 54. it has only been in there approx 3 months and is approx 3" deep.

I really dont know what I am doing here... Im just winging it and open to suggestions.

thanks in advance
N2

 

[bertoni]

I'd also elevate the lamp above the tank or put some screens underneath it to limit the intensity of the light. I'd wait for three weeks of zero ammonia before adding anything to the 54. Some water changes would help remove junk from the water, too.

 

[n2everythg]

Thanks Jonathan,
I got a zero reading tonight on ammonia after using a jet to blow off the rocks and a canister filter to collect the debris. So I guess I will start my 3 week clock.

Light is in a hood about 6 - 8 inches off the water. Just installed a fan in my hood tonight. Think I should throw a glass top on the DT to limit the light more?

Nitrite measured 1.0 tonight and Nitrate measured 15 still. Think maybe the large mass of chaeto I have in my fuge must be sucking up nitrate. It is growing like crazy. That is all I have in the system right now besides some pods that hiked in on the chaeto and the LR.

Anyone see any issues with moving my sand bed from the 20 after the 54 cycles?

later
N2

 

[bertoni]

I'd be careful with the glass top, since they can trap heat and prevent good gas exchange. Some people use some sort of plastic screen, like egg crate. I'd do something, in this case.

Moving the sandbed should be okay, although it'll cause a little die-off.