When to add life?

[BobNY]

I transfered my rock from my 90 gallon to my new 125 a week ago. The rock was in the 90 gallon for about 6 years and is fully cured.
I was thinking I may get a small cycle from the move, but after a week Ammonia and Nitrites are stable at zero. I do have 20ppm nitrates that came over with rock. I am working to bring that down.
How long do you think I should wait before adding any life to the tank?
I have a pair of clowns that have been in QT for about 2 months. They will be the first fish in the tank. As for corals, I eventually want this tank to be mostly SPS. I wont try those until after the tank has matured a while and the nitrate is at zero. I would like to add a few easier corals to start, Maybe some Zoas and other soft coral or LPS. I only want things that wont take over the tank and be a problem later on.
Oh....and I still need to get a clean up crew as well.

What would be a good time line to add these things?

Thanks in advance

 

[fishman1069]

Hey Bob, I would add the clowns now. If your ammonia and nitrites are 0, then your good to go. You want to add stuff slowly tho. I would add the clowns and go get yourself a couple of snails( nassirus(sp?), trochus and maybe a turbo) Try to keep the CUC on the light side. DONT buy one of those cleaner pakages from online vendors. They usually give you too many. You have to remeber that clean up crews are beneficial but they do poop and all that also. So its adding to your bio-load. You can start adding some corals also, but I wouldnt go with the sps yet. If you want give me a call I'll hook you up!!

 

[BobNY]

Thanks for the info Pat!
I will definitely give you a call sometime this week.
I'd love to come check out your tank and maybe buy a couple of frags from you

My Apex decided to act a bit funny today, so I'm going to wait a bit on moving the clowns. I disconnected the Apex incase I need to send it in. I'll le it runn a day or so without it before I add the Clowns.

 

[DJYoshi]

Bob, have you tested the water? I just went from a 36 to a 65 + 10g sump...I added life after 2 weeks. I fed the new tank food to get a mini cycle going. All was well after 2 weeks.