My Tank's Status so far...

[hermitkrab]

My tank has been a little before December and is going alright but as almost all tanks has had a few small set backs. My tank is 40g, 75 lb. of LR, and 90 lb. of LS. I used a Bak-Pak 2, a Aqua-Clear 70 (I use foam, nitrex, carbon , and ceramic rings in it along with a little filter floss stuffed in above where the intake connects to the motor), and of course a heater, a fluorescent light, a maxi-jet, and a wavemaker. I have about 15 turbo snails, 5 or so cerith snails, and about 5 nassarius snails. 1 skunk cleaner shrimp (one other one died not even a couple hours into the tank), 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 monkey shrimp (one might have died), 3 emerald crabs (one is over twice the size of the other two several inches across counting legs), about 15 scarlet hermits (one is a very dark red and has one big claw and a normal sized one unsure if he/she is a scarlet), a couple hermits that are cream colored, and one queen conch (just found a corner no one else knew about and feasted on the find of a lot of algae and other goodies). I use Salifert testing kits. And here were two tests I took this moth:
Feb. 2- were Ammonia .25, Nitrite .1, Nitrate .1, pH 8.0
Feb. 22- Ammonia less than .25 (the test came up a little foggy as in color not as in unsure), Nitrite 0, Nitrate .1, pH 8.2
I have no fish because two disappeared and two died (one because he got sucked into my wave maker and the other I believe because of unsafe levels).
I believe I am be going to get more inverts soon. Probably the in two weeks. I am thinking of getting 10 more turbos, 10 more nassarius snails, 10 more cerith snails, one more peppermint shrimp, and 10 more hermits.
Well that's basically my tank thus far. Any suggestion or comments are appreciated and thanks to you all for your help the forums really helped me get my tank started.
P.S.
Do you think a 6 gal. water change a week is enough? Oh and I used distilled water with Oceanic salt. Also do you think in two more weeks my tank will be safe for more inverts and soon for fish?

 

[xoxox]

Your tests should all be zero, sounds like its still cycling. I would just sit back and not get anything, let the tank work itself through. Algae blooms are normal. Don't do any water changes either, it will prolong the cycle.

 

[krux]

sounds like you are on the correct track... 6 gallons sounds like a good waterchange to me.
realistically, it could be closer to 4 weeks before i would suggest adding anything else, but who knows!

 

[maeistero]

getting close to march, i'd say it should be cycled by now. except for the missing fish and skimmer? keep testing until you're sure. i like your cleanup crew tho, that's my favorite part of my tank.yours is pretty close to my first 55. my gf always gets on me about one or another of the tanks b/c i forget to put fish in them. i'm too concerned about the better stuff.