Cycling done already?

Hello.

I have just set up a tank about a week ago. only has live rock and live sand in it at the moment with a marinland 200 filter with carbon and sponge filters in it. I just got my test kits and the parameters read Ammonia and nitrite is also at 0. 79 temperature and ph is 8.1 Is my cycling done? It has only been a week.

 

Highly unlikely, usually takes closer to 4 weeks. Put a cocktail shrimp in your tank that will start your cycle.

 

have you had any spikes in the ammonia,nitrite and nitrates? if not, you prob havent even really begun to cycle.

 

Throw a small amount of frozen squid in the tank. This will make your tank cycle.

I have had a cycle last a week before though. I used previously cured LR w/ no dieoff.

 

As I said, I just got my test kits today :-X so I was just wondering if it was done yet since everything was at 0. So its normal then to start off at 0 and then spike?

 

I,d throw a table shrimp in just to be safe. If your rock was fully cured it could have cycled that quick, if thats the case then the table shrimp should just cause a mini cycle and you will know for sure.

 

well I have 25 lbs of dry rock 30lbs of live sand and 10 lbs of live rock I purchased at a LFS and it was cured. So I dont know, but I see some dead small shrimp like creatures. I guess I will try to get my hands on a shrimp...............cause we dont usually get shrimp as no one cooks haha.

 

My guess is it has not started yet. you don't have to use a shrimp, you could use some frozen fish food, I've even heard of people using a pinch of flake food. just with the die off on the rocks, it will start on its own.

 

could I use freshwater flake food?

 

I would say that would work.