How to start my tank?

[chamic1]

I read somewhere that to start cycling a reef tank (29g), you should float a piece of raw fish or seafood, but for how long?
I also have 25 pounds of LR in my tank, 15 pound was just put in about 2 days ago.

 

[bigarn]

If you use raw shrimp keep it in until the ammonia level spikes then take it out. You can also feed the tank flake food until the ammonia level spikes.

 

[diddley]

check ammonia and nitrite levels asap. tank could be cycling with just the new rock you introduced. it depends on the amount of die off on the rock. i cycled all my tanks with just live rock.

 

[chamic1]

I did a water reading and the results were:
Nitrate is at : 10 ppm
Ammonia is at: .5 ppm
I just took the above reading
Yesterday I also did a reading and the results were:
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Where is my tank in terms of its cycle?

 

[diddley]

nitrite is important to check during the cycle.
ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate
if your ammonia is 0.5, you've got a cycle going. i would wait until ammonia and nitrite are 0, then do two 25 percent waterchanges to replenish trace elements and lower nitrates. it's much better to start off with low nitrates, than trying to lower them after adding livestock. then, feed the tank a pinch of flake food every day for three days in a row just like their was a fish in the tank. then, if ammonia and nitrite stay at zero for a couple days in a row, you are ready to add your first fish.
hope this helps.

 

[chamic1]

Thanks a lot for the info diddley!!!