New Setup - Questions

I am a major newbie and need some help with my new tank.

I have a 46 gal bowfront, emperor 400, 2 powerheads, seaclone 100 skimmer.

Last thursday I put in live sand and started the cycle process. I've been testing every day (mainly because im obsessed with water quality!) and nodiced the ammonia is on the rise. Next is Nitrite? then Nitrate? correct?

Anyway - my plan is to get a FOWLR setup going and want to get a max of 68lbs of LR. Tomorrow i would like to get 40 pounds becase a LFS is having a sale on LR. Is it ok to add cured rock even though the ammonia levels are high?

The guy at the LFS says it's ok but i want to run it through the experts first.

Here are my tank stats for today:
Temp: 78 F
pH: 8.0
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0.2 ppm
Ammonia: 1.0
Specific Gravity: 1.022

Thanks for any comments. ;D

 

are there any fish in it yet???

 

That should be fine as long as you dont have any fish in there. Should help your cycle to go faster. Maybe even just a mini cycle.

 

No, i dont plan on getting fish until the tank has fully cycled. I have read that adding a piece of dead shrip will do the same thing as adding damsels (minus the headache of getting rid of the damsels).

 

Adding live rock will start the cycle.

 

Thats wonderful news! thanks for the quick response. One last question, I do have the funds to get all 68 pounds - do you think it would be ok to get it all at once? or should i be patient here?

 

IMO I would take back the SEACLONE and get something like a Coralife. I use a seaclone at work and it does not pull much out at all. Many here will agree. JMO though.

 

Yeah, i'll see what the LFS has... Thanks for the help.

 

All at once. That way you only have to recure the rock once. If you add more rock later there will be some things that die while getting it to your house. You will get a mini cycle every time you add more.

 

Great, i'll do that. I'll add pics once i have everything setup.

Thanks for the help!