Mini Cycle Survival and Prevention

[reefermadness55]

OK so I know a few things but far from most things. I recently upgraded my lights and got a few sps corals one a nice softball sized stylophora couldn't be placed anywhere without moving a few rocks, I knew it could cause a mini cycle but have never had the problem of it happening.

There's a few things everyone can do to prevent mini cycles from happening but id like to get everyone's thoughts and tips on the matter in this thread. (And some coral pics)

Not changing all of your carbon at once?
Not replacing your entire sandbed
Not adding fish to quickly

Now my ammonia is reading .25 but all my corals fish inverts and clam seem to be acting completely normal, it's been a few days already as well before I caught the ammonia spike.

Which brings me to the topic of surviving a mini cycle in a mixed reef tank. Would it be advisable to reduce lighting times slightly? Or use seachem prime or Amquel to detoxify present ammonia? Going through a mini cycle in a reef tank I know nothing about as I haven't had to yet :/

 

[vic67]

If I know I'm going to be stirring things up bc of moving LR, sand etc. I add a little bottled bacteria to the tank.

 

[tyler1503]

Bottled bacteria and prime are great to add during a mini cycle. Along with water changes
If you use a turkey baster to blow off your rocks and siphon the detritus out during water changes you can minimise how much crap can be disturbed which can help prevent it in the first place. It's a bit hard on bigger tanks though.