yet another cycling question, sorry

[steve r]

when the tank is cycled will you notice detectable nitrate levels?
after one week of live sand i had:

.25 ammonia
0.2 nitrate
2.5 nitrate

one the day i took those readings i added live rock. after the readings were taken

today i have:
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate

total time from adding live sand has been 2 weeks.

should i have some nitrate? where did it go? what used it?

i have also notice a lot of new algae growth and what looks like "seaweed" or kelp.

can i do a 20 percent water change now and clean up some of the garbage from the rock and sand bed?

things seem to doing okay. many feather dusters and a couple clams, brittle stars and snails ( all hitch hikers ) moving around

as always thanks for your input
steve r

 

[phases99]

It sounds like you are cycled. Go ahead and do a water change. You would normally have some nitrate but you had a real easy cycle so the nitrate probably got used up by the macros.

 

[JamesR]

i would start with a hard fish and keep an eye on your levels, you should be fine!

Jim

 

[steve r]

cool. sounds good. thanks for the info. i think i might try a couple of hermit crabs and snails this weekend. we are also thinking of a yellow belly blue damsel so maybe we will give a week or two after the crabs and snails


thanks again
steve r

 

[quarryshark]

Sounds like a good plan. You may want to get the fish now and start the qt period.