Question about new tank cycle

[beans]

Well, I've come to the conclusion that fresh water experience and a couple of years fish only marine experience don't mean diddley-squat when it comes to a reef setup.

I've had my tank set up for 4 weeks now, and my chemistry hasn't changed one bit. I've been sitting at 0.20 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. I've added Bio-Spira to see the bacteria (3rd week in). I wouldn't normally have done this but I figured that I wasn't seeing any progress.

The tank is 72 gallon plus sump, 50 lbs base rock with 86 lbs live rock. Crushed coral in the bottom (wish I'd have done the sand the more I read - but hindsight is 20/20 and I don't really have the $$$ to change it anyway - there's always the next tank). I've left the skimmer off.

There's plenty of amphipods, copepods, etc. I've seen flatworms, bristleworms and some larger work than I couldn't identify (about 1/4 inch diameter - pretty cool). So there's a lot of life in the tank.

I also have a fair amount of algae (green on the back of the tank and upper rocks, red (brown?) on the bottom crushed coral. I always though the algae came at the end of the tank cycle? I haven't done any water changes yet. Water is very clear.

Am I just too anxious? Is there anything I can do to speed the cycle. To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if I'm interpreting the color wrong on the ammonia test...

I hate asking this question as I expect to hear "you just have to wait..." I don't mind the waiting, it's just that I would expect to see some change in water chemistry, up or down...

Thanks,

Allan

[staticfishmonger]

i would go ahead and turn your skimmer on that should help with algae and removal of organic waste. also you may want to double check your test results by having the LFS test it. i had a faulty test kit before that read the same levels every time for about a month when my water just fine. it really screwed me up. my cycle on my reef tank lasted around 3 weeks. every tank is different you may just have alot of die off on your rock. i have heard of cycles lasting more that 6 weeks so dont get to angry just yet. think of it as a little more time to research the inhabitants you want to keep. good luck

[commandertekki]

I wouldnt worry too much about the crushed corals. It's probably considered to not be the best thing out there to use, but if you have about an inch or less it wouldnt really matter about it beins a dsb.

You can create your dsb in your fuge. It doesnt have to be in the tank.

as for the cycle. 4-6 weeks is the absolute min. Cant rush it because it takes time for the bacteria to grow at the various cycles.

as for the red looking like algae on the floor. That sounds like cyano. And the stuff needs to be removed either with a turkey bast or something. You can even use erythromycin to kill it since it is a bacteria and you dont have any fish at this point. not that it'll hurt the fish.