Strange Readings during cycle

[bschroller]

Hi guys, I have some questions about my levels during my cycle of my 30 gallon tank. I have an emperor filter with biowheel, 2 inches of live sand about 10lbs of uncured rock and 2 blue devil damsels. The tank has been cycling for 23 days now. I am starting to worry that the tank is never gonna cycle becuase my nitrates have been the same for over a week now, my nitrites have gone down to almost nothing, but my ammonia is still the same it has been still the cycle started. I do have alot of brown alge on the live sand so I know the cycle is doing SOMETHING. Here are my levels tell me what you think:

Cycle started on July 27th

7/29 7/30 8/1 8/2 8/3 8/5 8/8 8/13 8/17
Salt 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024 1.024
PH 8.0 8.0 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2
Temp 80 77 77 77 77 77 77 77 77
Amm .0145 .0131 .02 .0133 .0107 .0107 .0133 .016 .015
Nitrite .05 .05 .15 .20 .25 .2 .2 .055 .05
Nitrate NA NA NA 2 2 2 2.5 2 2
Alk Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi


This cycle is so confusing. Its like it hasnt done anything for 3 weeks. Please give me some insight.

 

[darb2]

the brown algae is probably diatoms. That is normal. sometimes with uncured lr the cycle can take longer due to the die off. be patient, it will finish cycling

 

[bschroller]

it just seems odd that my levels havent been changing.

 

[Atari]

The die-off from the uncured rock plus the 2 fish is a large load for just 10lbs LR.. it's gonna take a while.

You should probably do some water changes to help conditions for the fish, and I would also make sure you scrubbed the rock properly and there isn't a decomposing animal stuck in it somewhere.

 

[malkore]

and for future reference, it's not a good idea to cycle a tank with fish, nor to put uncured rock into a tank with live fish.

 

[fishfreek]

Cycle looks fine to me. I see the levels peaking and then falling. ALbeit they have leveled off. Probably for the reasons already mentioned above. You are using a testkit rated for saltwater right? I have seen some FW kits give false positive ammonia readings.

Cut back on your feedings of the fish. Feed once every other day. This should help with the ammonia production and thus help with the nitrite level.