new to the hobby cycling ?

Ok i decided to turn my fresh water tank into a salt water. i have a 55 gal i went to my lfs and bought a sump,ps and lights. i started the tank last thursday. I went with a fish less cycle. i let it run for a week i just put fish food in to build the ammonia to start the cycle. I tested it for the first time last night. My ammonia is at 0 my nitrite is around 3 i dont have a nitrate test yet but i will be getting one tonight. my ph is around 8 my gh is 11. So from what i have read the cycling process starts with ammonio first the nitrite then nitrate. so is it safe to say that my tank is in the secound to third stage of cycling. once this is done i will add some base rock and live rock after my water change o ya my salinity is around 1.022. being i spent some $$ i want to do this right.

Thanks
Tony

 

I do not think your anywhere near cycled. I would add the live rock and then watch your levels sky rocket. You will see 3 different algae outbreaks in your cycle as well. You currently do not have enough in your tank to make it cycle and do not have have a biological filtration yet to add live fish or coral.
You can always through in a piece of shrimp and get the cycle going quicker as well. Please keep us updated to we can track your cycle with you.

 

thats what i was worried about so the live rock will spike it. in my ps the water is clean nothing in the collection cup. will do i have read that it takes around 5-7 weeks for a full cycle. Will do i have learned a lot on here.

Thanks
Tony

 

When i set up my tank, I used cured live rock from premium aquatics and supplemented with stability. My cycling took about a week. I had no algae blooms, had a little diatom that was it. I think that quality rock is a must for a rapid cycle. Hope this helps

 

lol brain fart

I had a brain fart i work at a local super market and they have salt water lobster tanks. can i get debris from that filter and add it to my tank to start the cycling process. Or what can i use from that tank. I work tonight
Thanks
Tony

 

Anyone who read my last novel of a thread, http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/its-really-not-difficult-proof-water-37818.html knows that this is exactly what im talking about. Stop trying to rush things and make it more difficult on your tank and your wallet. Let nature take its course. Be patient and you will be rewarded for it. Go get your live rock, about 55-75lbs of it, toss it in your tank, aquascape it, and then leave the whole thing alone for 6 weeks. Then slowly start to add your fish, slowly because everytime you do there will be a short spike in your ammonia, ect....trust me it will save you a lot of frustration and money if you just let nature do its job.

 

let your tank cycle for another 2-4 weeks after you've gone through the phases, regardless if your tests are reading zero or close to zero. you don't want to move as quickly as possible...this is a patient hobby. once your nitrates start to level out, you should start to see an algae bloom (or two or three) and at which point you could add a few snails depending upon tank size(clean up crew). you'll thank yourself in the long run....it'll be hard to stare at a barren tank for awhile but it will be well worth the effort in the long run. quoting brandon1023 "let nature take it's course"....with a little help from science of course .

 

ok you are right looking at a empty tank is boring being i had fwf in their before so maybe I am rushing things and that was something i told myself before getting this stuff is that i would not rush it. thanks for the remender
Tony

 

Do you have any live sand in the tank yet.
that will also help with the cycle.

 

no i dont have have 80 lbs of Carib Sea Aragamax the guy at the lfs said that would be enough their goes that idea of a ssb lol. I appreciate all the helpful information on here. I have learned a lot on here once again thanks

Tony