New tank cycling, am I stalled?

[tjsynkral]

OK just an impatient first time aquarium keeper here!
Well, not impatient enough to put fish in early. I want to keep my first fish alive so getting it right is important.
Here's the equipment I have:
Nano Cube 28 LED Advanced with its 2 stock heads running. Lights running intended permanent cycle (12h day, 14h dawndusk, niteglo when day is off).
30lbs LS. ~20lbs cured LR.
NanoZapp inline on one of the heads.
Tetra heater
Water is RO/DI and reef salt, has been kept at consistently 1.025.
I have a Tunze protein skimmer but not the skinny cup yet, it's due to arrive in a couple of days, so it's not installed.
I also ordered the inTank media basket because the one that came with the Nano Cube doesn't seem effective (most of the water flows right past the filter floss and around back of the filter). What would you suggest I put in there, short term (fish only) and long term (corals/anemone)?
Here's the history from day 1. Levels indicated are pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate (but I skip pH some days).
3/28 p8.2 0 0 0
3/29 p7.8 0.25 0 0 - added LR+cocktail shrimp
3/30 p7.8 3 0 0
3/30 8 0 0
3/31 8 0.25 0
4/1 8 1 0
4/2 8 5 10 - did WC 2.5
4/3 p8.2 8 5 10 - noticing diatoms.
So if you were me, WWYD now? Is everything moving at the right pace? I am concerned I added too much ammonia with the shrimp, my test maxes out at 8. I am seeing nitrite and nitrate (higher nitrate ppm, but lower on the scale of my test kit, so it feels like low nitrate). I think I could change water or add bacteria to address the high ammonia, but I don't want to take a shortcut and end up with an incomplete cycle and the tank can't handle the fish poop when they move in. Am I right or wrong with that concern?
My current plan is to put fish in no sooner than 4/15 because I am traveling the weekend before and not leaving new fish alone. I would put the fish in that day assuming levels are 0/0/less than 40. I'll be putting in 2 clownfish and nothing else for a few weeks. Of course if my levels don't get down I can wait but I don't want to wait a long time only to find out things are stalled.

 

[jay0705]

Once your ammonia spikes it should go down then nitrate and nitrite spike. Once they drop your golden.slowly add fish from there

 

[tjsynkral]

Yes, I'm pretty clear on how it "should" work, but I'm wondering if my results thus far are typical or if I've let the ammonia go too high and need to add bacteria or change water.

 

[tjsynkral]

Update, I got home today and the tank is covered in green film algae. Things that I've read have said to wait the brown stuff out, but what about the green? Today's readings 4, 5+, 80. It seems like ammonia is going down but it's very tough to see the difference between 4 and 8 on the test (where 8 is the max).

 

[geridoc]

What was your source of ammonium? It got too high, I usually cut off ammonium addition when the level gets to 1. The very high levels you got may be inhibiting the growthof bacteria, but they will grow no matter what - nature abhors a vacuum. Just be patient. The green growth is just due to the rising nitrates you are seeing. Shorten your light phase to just an hour or two, at most and the algae growth will slow or stop (or even recede). After the cycle is completed you can change water to get the nitrates down and bring up the light phase. Does that filter basket get light? If so, put macroalgae in there and you won't have to worry about nitrates again. You can add that at any time, including now.