29 gallon cycling question

[newtosw12345]

Hello guys.....

I recently setup my first saltwater aquarium (29 gal) on december 26th, i have 23 pounds of pre cured live rock and 20 pounds of live sand. I tested after one week and my ammonia and nitrite read zero. I tested a couple days later and got the same results. The tank is growing diatoms on the sand and some of the rock, and looks like there is some dead material or algae on the sand unless its just fury diatom balls. I'm just wondering if my tank had a quick cycle or if it hasn't started the cycle yet because i've heard some people's tanks cycled very fast with live sand and rock. Do you think i should wait a week and see?


If you do think it's cycled what fish should i add first, Im thinking of clownfish first. My stocking list is:
2 ocellaris clowns
1 firefish
1 bangaii cardinalfish or yellow watchman goby
1 yellow headed jawfish
1 fireshrimp
hermit crabs and snails

Some few additional questions:
Are snails and hermit crabs hardy? When would you recommend adding them?
Can you give me an order of adding the fish i want?
Are jawfish easy to keep? how deep a sandbed for them?
Are they a pain to feed?
Will the yellow goby have a problem with the jawfish?

please recommend some other cool peaceful fish that are easy to keep, I like blennys.


Thanks

 

[newtosw12345]

Also i don't want corals because my lighting isn't very good but was wondering if i could have any low light corals in my tank.
I have one 10k 24 watt light and a actinic 24 watt

 

[iDream]

i would do a full workup of tests, ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte. if you have 0ppm of ammonia and nitrIte and ~20ppm or less nitrAte then you have a finished cycle.

ill let someone else add on the cycle.

for the other questions. yes snails and hermits are pretty hardy, i would add them first after the cycle is done to take care of the diatoms.

i'm not quite sure on adding the fish so i'll let someone else comment on that.

no experience with jawfish, but i know they need a sandbed like 4-5" deep, which is very deep, they are very well know jumpers so i hope you have a nice full top so he can't get out.

i don't think they two would have a problem though.

i have a starry blenny in my tank, they stay small and are full of personality, he's great. lawnmower blenny and tailspot blenny are good smaller peaceful ones as well.

not sure on the corals as well

 

[newtosw12345]

Tested today:
ph: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:0
sp: 1.023
i also saw 5 or 6 two centimeter snails, some flowerpot corals, and tons of copepods and amphipods, is that good?
do you think i should slowly start adding a cleanup crew?
or has my tank not even started cycling?
theres a lot of algae

 

[abdhalim2]

im not sure your tank fully cycled or not...if your LR is cured LR, there should be nitrates reading within one week...or maybe the algae had made your nitrates read 0....there is an article about fishless cycling in articles section...try to read it on how to cycle tank...
there also article about fish compatibility on the sections...read and u will know which fish can add together...

with those light, i dont think it is sufficient for your tank size...but i have that fixtures for my nano tank...have some zoas, leather corals in that...for hardy/beginner corals, i think there is not much problem with such fixtures...

 

[newtosw12345]

do you think i should add some brine shrimp to see if the ammonia will rise and then drop quickly?

 

[abdhalim2]

a pinch of fish food would also be sufficient...

 

[iDream]

well seeing life is always a good thing, but since there is no readings on anything, i'm weary about the cycle being done or even starting, try the fish food, test for a small spike, then see if it goes to nitrItes then they both go back down to 0 in at the most 24hrs, if so then you have a finished cycle.

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