cycling first 10 gal saltwater nano tank

[CHEEZY]

Hey so I bought some live rock off of a guy who had taken down his tank so it was well alive. I am now three days into my cycle and my ammonia is 0.25, nitrite 0, and my nitrate is already at 20ppm does this sound a little strange to anyone else? And an I almost done my cycle?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Hey so I bought some live rock off of a guy who had taken down his tank so it was well alive. I am now three days into my cycle and my ammonia is 0.25, nitrite 0, and my nitrate is already at 20ppm does this sound a little strange to anyone else? And an I almost done my cycle?

Not Strange at all... The bacteria in the live rock (as long as it was transported submerged) would still be alive and able to convert the ammonia. I would throw a couple cubes of frozen food in and check the ammo level in a couple days to e certain...

 

[CHEEZY]

Alright thank you. I also used carribea sea ocean direct live sand was told it was best for cycle.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Alright thank you. I also used carribea sea ocean direct live sand was told it was best for cycle.

That will help too... Keep an eye out for a diatom
bloom as that will be a sign of the end of cycle. I have a 2 gallon that didn't take long to cycle because I used sand and rock from an established system at my LFS..