Cycle in 2 weeks?

[ncscuba]

Set up new 45g saltwater tank about 2 weeks ago. Using RO water, have 40ish pounds of live rock and 45lbs of CaribSea Arag-Alive.

Starting cycling day 1 using some cocktail shrimp from the store stuffed in a stocking (recommended to me). I also used some API quickstart during setup and after a partial water change a week later.

I changed about 13 gallons of water at the 1 week mark and my readings the next day were (all test were done using API saltwater tests):

Temp - 77.8
salinity - 1.024
PH - 8
Ammonia - .3 (this has been higher but didn't want to list all my tests)
Nitrite - 3 (this has been higher but didn't want to list all my tests)
Nitrate - 70 (this has been higher but didn't want to list all my tests)

Tested last night and again this morning (right at two weeks in)
Temp - 77.1
salinity 1.024
PH - 8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - little over 20

Question is, does it look right for the ammonia and nitrites to cycle to 0 that quick? I hear stories about it taking a month or longer.

Also, I have been using Instant Ocean Sea Buffer for the past couple day trying to raise the PH level but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Any suggestions?

 

[TheTodd]

The live rock and added beneficial bacteria probably sped things up . I have cycled multiple tanks using Dr. Tim's and all took about a week to cycle. Add fish, one at a time, every 3-4 weeks and you should be fine.


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[Khuligirl93]

I started my tank with a table shrimp with live rock and seeded filter media, and my cycle only took 2 weeks.


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[lstimpy]

Any ammonia or nitrite is bad, meaning not ready for livestock. Keep cycling! Then you have to monitor nitrate regularly.


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