odd cycle

[ccm703]

So I started another tank , rsm 250 and had bought fiji rock from fijireefrock.com cycled/cured the dry rock in coolers first. Three weeks in the coolers at 82° with lots of flow and the rocks cycled nice . I did a full water change and soaked for a few days to check for phosphate leach.

So I added my sand carib sea ocean direct 80lbs and stacked my rock and filled the tank. Rock was out of water for maybe an hour as I was filling the tank with water I got ready days before. So long story short I added a few raw clams and a couple shrimp for my ammonia source . Its been 10 days now with the tank running and i never got any ammonia but my nitrites are high and nitrates are high.

Could it be the bacteria I previously built on the rock plus the sand is consuming the ammonia fast and I wont see a spike. Current tests are

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3+
Nitrate 20-30 ppm