Cycle Question

[motorcity]

I have a question about the cycle.
I have a 29g Biocube. Tuesday night I set it up and added about 20 pounds of sugar sized aragonite, 1 pound of live sand, 14 pounds of fiji cured live rock and 4 pounds of cured base rock. I had water mixing since Sunday and added it to the tank Tuesday night also (s/g is 1.026). The temp has been 78-79 since setting the tank up and I have been cycling the lights for 8 hours per day (stock biocube lights)
I put about half a bottle of Seachem Matrix in a filter bag and put it in the bottom of the 2nd chamber in back. I then put a bag of Seachem Purigen on top of that, then toped it all off with a piece of filter floss. In the 1st chamber I have the fliter that came with the tank (i think it might have active carbon or whatever in it)
My question is, will the Seachem products and activated carbon keep my tank from cycling? The ammonia, nitrites and nitrates have all been 0 since the start (although its only been 3 days) How long does it normally take to start seeing ammonia? Should I remove the Seachem products until I get a spike or should I just be more patient?

 

[cjason3041]

first....base rock is not ccled.....it is dead...thus base
second, it may take a few days to see the cycle start, i would remove the carbon....it is usually only put in tanks for a few days then removed...it "polishes" the water, but removes essential elements.
third, add a frozen shrimp and wach your cycle go for broke!
IMO forget seachem and purpleup type products...go natural

 

[1journeyman]

If the rock was truely "cured" and bought from a nearby store and added to the tank with no die-off it may prevent a cycle as it will already house beneficial bacteria.

 

[sepulatian]

Many LFS's sell rock as "cured" when it isn't yet so they can charge more. It could take a week or more before it shows on a test. Don't be impatient. A true cycle is better than a stiffled one. You should have an ammonia spike (forced or not) then the nitrite spike. After both have spiked then reached zero then you are safe to add life. Have you set up your quarantine tank yet?

 

[motorcity]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Many LFS's sell rock as "cured" when it isn't yet so they can charge more. It could take a week or more before it shows on a test. Don't be impatient. A true cycle is better than a stiffled one. You should have an ammonia spike (forced or not) then the nitrite spike. After both have spiked then reached zero then you are safe to add life. Have you set up your quarantine tank yet?

No quarantine tank yet, still trying to make sure i'm doing this one right

Any opinion on if I should remove the Matrix and Purigen until I see a cycle?