Can't get my tank to cycle...atleast I don't think

[meinporsche]

I have a 125 gallon, I have all my equipment up and running...I added 30 lbs of live rock (just to start) and about 75 lbs of base rock. I have had 4 damsels in the tank for about 3 weeks and the only thing that has went up is the ph and it hasn't went up that much. My skimmer cup is collecting foam and I have to empty every 3 days. All the fish are perfectly healthy and the live rock looks the same as when I got it. The live rock that I purchased was not all the way cured so I figured that would help me out a bit and so did the fish store. Am I just being impatient? Thanks for the help...

 

[neilanh]

Have you confirmed that your ammonia level is still at 0?

WHen you got your live rock, was it fully cured?

 

[meinporsche]

yes ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are all still at 0...the only thing that came up was the ph and it wasnt a lot...I think its 8.0 right now...we tested the water where the live rock was kept at the fish store and it was nearly cycled...he said that should help me get some bad bacteria in the tank to jump start the cycle...

 

[duncantse]

what day did you get those LR?

 

[meinporsche]

on the first day of the cycle which was about 3 weeks ago...

 

[eatsomepopcorn]

It is possible that with the live rock you have you have enough aerobic and anerobic bacteria to balance things off. I would give it about 3 more weeks and I would also add extra food, more food than the fish can eat to see if you can trigger an amonia spike, if you cant then your tank may be fine to add another fish and you can keep adding one at a time and monitor. All tanks cycle differently. I had a tank that did not fully cycle for 9 months, but I had it fully stocked and the cycle impacts were very minor so there was never any danger.