150 Gallon Build

[starla]

So we have started our 150 gallon long build. Its on the custom made stand, full of water and sand and running. He is building the refugium now (25 gallon) , and we of course wait...
So my first question.
Lighting.

We currently run a 55 gallon with a 10 gallon ref, with T5's Nova Extremes The big one, I think its 480 watts total. Everything grows well too well,. we give coral away. (I currently have toad stool frags that are doing AMAZINGLY well!!)

On the new tank..this is what we are looking at.
2 - 250 Metal Halides 14K at each end of the tank and moving the Nova extreme to the middle of the tank (we will eventually disassemble the 55 gallon) Too much? Not enough? I want to be able to go to the LFS and pick any coral I desire.

So ideas on the light?

I do have pics already but its not much just an empty tank and then a tank full of water LOL.

thansk for your help on the lights

starla!

 

[greech]

What's the width and height of the 150? Is the NE a 4 or 6 bulb fixture? Assume there is a canopy involved?

 

[starla]

Hi!

The tank is 6 foot long tank and the NE are 4 fixtures. It has a custom built stand and canopy. Presently it has tow, 250 metal halides on it, and shortly we will be moving the NE over to it.

It looks good and we are very happy with it..

but

(you knew that was coming)

it has yet to cycle. I check the new tank every morning and nothing. its been three weeks now so here is what i am doing and maybe I wont get a cycle?

In the 55 gallon I have an amonia spike within two weeks..the new tank nothing.
But this is what we are doing

It presently has 70 pounds of live rock, (there is 70 pounds in the 55 gallon that we will move over when the tank matures more), 40 snails, 40 crabs.

Each week we do a 10% water change on EACH tank.
The water from the established tank we put in the new tank.
Same with filters etc, they are put in the new tank.
The new tank has a 25 gallon refugium on it, plus a protein skimmer, and rubble rock in the filter about 20 pounds of that.

We are cycling it with dead silver slides presently there are four in the tank rotting away.

So am I being impatient? Should we have seen SOMETHING by now? Or will I not get one because I am using stuff from the established tank on the new tank?

next question..when its time to move. What first? The mushrooms ? leather corals? toad stool? Hammer head? Frogspawn ? and what about the anemone and feather dusters? Fish? (in the established tank I have two clowns, two other damsels and one black cap basslet, I know under-stocked but I LIKE it that way LOL) What do I move first and how quickly? I planned on having the old tank EMPTY (all of the corals and fish put in the 150 gallong tank) by the end of Oct, is that reasonable too fast too slow?

Sorry alot of questions but I have never moved from a small tank to a big tank before.

thanks!