initial cycle with live rock

[Profiler]

I have a 125 gallon tank. It has about 1 1/2 inches of live sand, and 120 pounds of live rock (was ordered as premium cured fijji live rock).

The ammonia is thru the roof (over 8ppm). I have an instant ocean test kit and the results for ammonia are supposed to be green. the test result is more of a navy blue. I also went out and bought an API kit and those results showed the highest of 8ppm. The nitrites are still climbing (about .8 today). Diatoms started but seemed to go away the last couple days. Besides what I believe to be some hair algae starting on the rock the only other thing I see is a coupl brown feather dusters.

My question is should I just let this cycle follow through without doing anything? I assume if i do a partial water change it will lengthen the cycle time or disrupt it. So my second question is with the ammonia being so high (for about a week now) will that harm the rock any or no?

The instant ocean nitrate test ranges from 10-100 on the chart. When I do that test the color has been staying right around 10.

 

[TRe]

all u gotta do now is wait it out .... when the amonia and nitrites level out is when you wanna do your first water change... most likly another week or 2 and u should be ready to rock with the first additions of your clean up crew just keep testing every few days thats the only way to kno
btw dont worry about the rock

 

[Lorna]

patience grasshopper.....it takes time. Do not try to rush things mother nature doesn't like it. Seriously, keep testing and once everything comes down to zero you will be good to go. These things take time, I suspect that there was a large amount of die off on your rock and if it was cured it may have spent a lot of time in shipping???

 

[Profiler]

Patience is key I'm sure. I'm just the type of person who's been doing all the tests my kit has everyday and expecting changes everyday and overthinking things. I keep testing the ammonia and when I dont see it lower I start thinking I'm screwing up somehow.

I ordered the rock at a lfs and it came in the next day in the morning. I assume they wrapped it that night and shipped it for the morning but who knows really. It was wrapped in wet newspaper. I used a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with some water from the tank to shake off the rock (thats how the lfs said to clean it). Maybe I should of scrubbed it too?? I've read some posts that mention brushing it.

Anyway I'll try to sit on my hands and take it slower. I equate it to looking at my watch every 5 minutes thinking I should be doing something else or more.

Everything else seems to be on track temp and salinity wise. The PH was a bit low 7.8-7.9 so I've been monitoring that and using the Kent marine buffer w kkh giving it 48 hours to stabalize.

 

[Lotus]

It sounds like your cycle is on track. The cycling can cause pH to move around some. Don't worry about it too much. Also, the presence of nitrites can give you false nitrate readings. I wouldn't bother with a nitrate reading until the cycle is further along.

Cycling is a good time to play with the aquascape