New Tank, Info Needed

[faqbch99]

New tank in cycle, 3 weeks. 72 Gal 80 lbs Live Rock, some well cured with some growth from a LFS that was in a tank with fish, and some fresh from Fiji out of ocean less then 4 days before in the tank. 80 lbs of sand substate, 40 lbs crushed coral below the sand.
SG 1.023
Amm 0 (was as high as 3)
Nitrate 40 (was as high as 80)
Nitrite 0.6
PH 7.8
Alk 2mEg/l
Calc 450
How do my numbers look. What is my next step, when can i start to add hermit crabs and such, i have a good amount of growth on the rocks that came from figi that i want to start to clean up.
In addition, do you think that with the numbers getting as high as they were could be why i had lots of new red algi grow, the turn brown and die and now start to grow again.
My light is a single bulb coralife 50/50 48 inch tube.
Suggestions? Thoughts? or general imput welcome Thanks.

 

[alf1096]

Are you wanting to run a fish only tank or a coral tank? If coral you will want to up your sg.

 

[capschamp]

you want your nitrite to be zero. when that gets to zero, check your nitrates, they might be high, might be low, either way you should do a water change to help get the nitrates close to zero as well. You also want to get your pH and alk a little higher, i believe the water change will help with that also. You're probly going to have LOTS of algae growth coming soon. Your light most likely will not be enough to support any corals if you were going to go that route, and if you do upgrade the light, that may cause an algae bloom as well. Hope some of that helps

 

[capschamp]

oh yeah, you should be able to add hermit crabs and snails once your nitrite gets to zero and your nitrate lowers some. Just keep taking it slow

 

[faqbch99]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like things are going well with the cycle then. I will plan for a water change on Thurs. As far as what the tank will be.. humm well still not sure. I know i need new / better lighting system if i am to do corals, no issue there.. did not want to buy a $300 system for lights just yet, so i went for the $30 bulb for now to support the live rocks and growth of well... stuff in/on them. will upgrade when the time comes.
again thanks for the input.