new tank

[scorphntr]

This is my first post on this forum, I've been reading many posts and feel like this is the best salt water forum on the web!
My dad was kind enough to give me his 60 gallon reef tank, I had to transport it from So Cal to my home in Arizona. My dad let the tank pretty much go to sh*t. We managed to save a little more than half of the water that was already in the tank, when I got home I added tap water just to get the tank up and running. Being ignorant about Salt water tanks I didn't dechlorinate the water as I added it. It has since been dechlorinated though. I was told by my LFS that I most likely killed the bacteria in the tank by adding tap water. I recently added some bacteria he sold me.
Surprisingly the 5 fish made the trip and seem to be doing just fine (5 days later). I tested my water yesterday and every thing was almost perfect exept for my nitrates were sky high. Would this be because I added so much tap water?
My plan of action is to do a 10 gallon water change using R/O water (doing 10 gallons because that is the size of my containers).
I guess my main question would be this, since I brought most of the cycled water with me from california and only added a little more than a 1/4 tap water, would my tank be considered cycled?

 

[rubberduck]

OK i need to know a couple things, first off, how much lr is in there and how did u transport it and was it out of the water , what fish are in there? sounds like they might die. so what the facts point to is that there was die off from the lr due to the trip and now the lr is curing. u might want to get your fish out. unless they are damsels

 

[jobob]

yea its like doin a big water change im sure ur tank will be fine

 

[jobob]

unless the lr was out of water then theirs a problem ur tank will have to cycle again.

 

[rubberduck]

i think his tank is alright but his lr is cycling :nervous:

 

[scorphntr]

The lr was in the tank water the whole trip. I have a sebea clown, 2 small chromis and 2 pajama cardinals. I am guessing a have anywhere from 65 to 80 lbs of lr.

 

[rubberduck]

srry i mean HIS LR IS CURING, or in other words the dead stuff is rotting from the lr

 

[scorphntr]

So I guess this means I should just do complete water change and start the cycling process over? Or does that mean the dead stuff on the rocks will start the process for me?
Thanks for the responses.

 

[rubberduck]

im STUMPED :notsure:

 

[scorphntr]

This is the Newb forum right? I am stumped too.
Should I just monitor the lvls and see what happens?

 

[jobob]

you should be ok i would watch the levels for the next week before u add anything else. i think the fish will be ok if they made it this far.keep the water and do a5-10 gal water change.

 

[scorphntr]

Okay I did a 10 gallon water change. Nitrates are still very high. Specific Gravity is at 1.017. I'll add more salt tomorrow.
thx

 

[1journeyman]

I'm not sure the live rock is cycling. Have you tested for Ammonia?
Don't use tap water. Use RO/DI water. This avoids contaminates from building up in the tank.
Did you test nitrates before you moved the tank? If your dad let the aquarium go downhill the nitrates may have been high before you moved it.
Don't add any new fish and/or inverts for a month or so, feed sparingly, and do small frequent water changes.
What type of substrate is in the tank?

 

[scorphntr]

We didn't test the water before I moved it. I am sure the water quality was poor though.
Amonia was low, I think it was the second color on my test sheet, not sure on the actual decimal value.
I am using LS as a substrate. There's a little bit of gunk on the LS, could use a cleaning.
I'll vacuum some of that gunk out and do a 10 gallon change per week.
Somehow a little feather duster made the trip! Was very excited to see that!