Is my tank cycled or not started? NEED HELP!

Hello,

I am a beginner when it comes to saltwater tanks. I am trying to establish a fish only with live rock tank. I added my uncured live rock about two weeks ago with live sand and started testing ammonia about 3-4 days after and had gotten no readings. The salinity is at 1.024 and the temperature is at 75 degrees. After about a week I tested both ammonia and nitrite and still got no readings. Finally after being fed up thinking the cycle didn't start I tested ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH today (approx 2 weeks after adding the live rock and sand) and I got 0 levels of ammonia, 0 levels of nitrite, and I'm pretty sure i got small levels of about 5-10ppm of nitrate reading with a PH of 7.2. I am very confused at this point as to what i should be doing or where my tank is at in terms of the cycle. Could someone please help me as to what further steps I should be taking and where my tank is at after 2 weeks of adding the uncured live rock?

 

let it sit. Keep readin on this and other forums. It takes time. I let mine sit for almost 6 weeks. And then was told to let it sit more. So again be patient. Read everything you can and you will know when its time.

 

We are pretty much in the same position re: tank cycle. I did the same thing, thought I was cycled, diatom bloomed, algae forming, tests all good, etcm added two damsels and that kicked started the cycle. Not a good move on my part...best advice I have read is to go to the grocery and buy some raw shrimp, put one in the tank and let it sit in there for 3-4days, that apparently will kick start the cycle.

 

it will take about 6 to 8 weeks...take your time and do it right or it will cost you in the long run...I just lost a complete tank from rushing into this thing.....it will be more than worth the wait.
How large is the tank?

How much live rock?

Do you have a live substrate also?

Do not put anything in it till the pro's chime in. You will have some big fish killing spikes so relax and wait and wait and wait...sounds boring but do it right...

 

the tank is a 46 gallon bowfront with about 40lbs of live rock. I have live sand for the substrate. I'm just confused as to why I got a nitrate reading? but i will try adding the shrimp.

 

all readings will dip through the cycle

you could check amo and could be 0 then a day later sky high


just bide your time

 

Try throwing a raw cocktail shrimp in there. That will help

J

 

i did that same thing. the shrimp that is, still nothing.... three and a half weeks later still no ammonia, no nitrite, or nitrate. weird huh?

 

okay so after having the raw shrimp in my tank for 2 days I testing everything once again. My results were as follows:

Ammonia still stayed at 0ppm
Nitrite increased to 0.25ppm from 0ppm
Nitrates stayed the same at 20ppm
PH stayed the same at 7.2

So the only increase I noticed was a very small increase in nitrites. What does this mean and where do I go from here? Is my tank cycled?

 

Your pH is way too low. Should be more like 8.3.