Tank cycling again?

[Ztkirkpatric]

About two weeks ago I upgraded my 150 to a 175 bow front, the 150 was an established tank, I added some large base rocks when I moved everything over... Well a week and a half in I've got a diatom bloom and all the hard corals are bleaching, the softies and anemone are looking rough too... I've done some test but nothing appears to be through the roof... I know that levels fluctuate during a cycle, but does it sound like that's what I'm going through? Also if this is a cycle, how long should I expect this to last with close to 150lbs of established live rock in the tank? It's been going on for about a week now... Did a large water change this morning.

 

[Dav3]

All same equipment? New lights? Did you use water from the 150 or start with all fresh saltwater?

What is your ph, alk, etc?

Are the bleaching corals any higher in the tank than they were in the 150?

 

[TheTodd]

You said nothing is "through the roof", but what are all your parameters? Ammonia and nitrites should be zero if it is cycled. Those being elevated could cause things to react.

 

[Ztkirkpatric]

All same equipment, PH was low. Ammonia was very slightly elevated... All other parameters were good...

 

[erichm20]

Did you use the same sand? You shouldn't see a cycle if moving all the same rocks over and just adding some dry rock. Just moving corals stresses them so that could be part of the reason for bleaching but really any reading for ammonia is concerning. Did you clean the new tank w anything?

 

[carey]

I'm not surprised you had a slight ammonia spike, always a risk when you start swapping things around. How was the established tank's live rock moved? Was it out of water long at all? That can cause some spikes. Also like mentioned, did you reuse your sand? If you didnt wash it that also could have caused some flucutations.

 

[Ztkirkpatric]

I did reuse the sand, it was only about two months old... I put everything in buckets and a 55gallon tank. New tank went where the old one was sitting and being so large they aren't easy to move... I figure everything is stressed, and a cycle probably on top of it... Tank has been crystal clear and now all of a sudden a big diatom bloom.

 

[erichm20]

The diatoms are normal and will go away. So was the old tank just 2 months old? You'll need to do water changes if there is ammonia or nitrites or those corals will die.

 

[Ztkirkpatric]

The diatoms are normal and will go away. So was the old tank just 2 months old? You'll need to do water changes if there is ammonia or nitrites or those corals will die.

the old tank we about two years old. Had non stop hair algae issues so I replaced the substrate.

 

[erichm20]

Ah gotcha- I wouldn't expect sand that new to have too much organic matter in it yet so perhaps you'll have a mini cycle.