Tank cycle???

[1spotpooalot]

Think I would know this by now, but my new tank 265 gallon, has only been up for a little over a week. I added about 75 lbs of cured rock and another 75 dead clean base rock. I also added Caribsea pink live sand at 140 lbs. I have yet to see any spike. This morning I have 0,0,0, ammonia, nitrites, nitrate. I've been ghost feeding mysis, and brine..really only a couple of times but, thought I should see some numbers. Normal?

 

[Chris A.]

if The rock was cycled already you shouldn’t get any ammonia spikes at all. Me personally, I’d add 1-2 hardy fish from your stocking list and test for a week. If everything looks good I’d keep adding fish at a couple a week so the bio filter can keep up with the added waste production.

 

[1spotpooalot]

The rock was bout half cycled. A few pieces with dying material (on purpose to jump start)...and some base. ...well....its fish time I guess...lol

 

[1spotpooalot]

sooooo...didnt trust that the cycle was robust enough, so I added ammonium chloride to dose my level up to 2 ppm. I am still showing amonia, and nitrates at respective levels of 2, 1 after 24hours. Nitrates are finally at 20. Phosphates are also decreasing, i believe as a direct result of Nitrates appearing, but im not quite a chemist...but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night . so, i think the cycle is really now what i expected. I couldve probably gotten away with a small stocking, but I feel more comfortable following the numbers. ill now wait to see am, nitite levels are 0, water change then begin addidng slowly...maybe by the weekend...