Water parameters Q!

[bean]

I'm curious about my water parameters. The tank has been cycling for about two weeks but I haven't seen a large ammonia spike. My parameters
sg 1.024
temp 76
PH normal
ammonia .25
nitrite 0
nitrate 10
water - clear
algae - some hair algae on the rocks with good coralline growth
- no algae blooms
Distilled H2O
100 g FOWLR
6" Aragonite DSB seeded with 1/2" LS
80# cured FIJI
15# uncured Tonga
2 jumblo raw shrimp that have nearly decomposed
all the other necessary equipment (power heads.....)
Question: Is it possible that I'm reaching the end of the cycle? Should I wait until my ammonia reaches zero then do a water change to lower my nitrates or should I add another shrimp and hope that I get an ammonia spike? The highest my ammonia went up to is .5. Whqt is the recommended temp for a FOWLR with inverts? I've noticed that the reef tanksare around 80-82.
Thanks for all the assistance up to this point!

 

[sinner's girl]

temp=78 for fish
I don't know if you should add another shrimp or not but I do know you should wait until ammonia reaches zero before doing a wc. don't do a wc until you know the cycle is complete.
hth

 

[oregonbud]

Have you seen your nitrite levels change at all?
Ammonia is converted to nitrite, then nitrite converted to less toxic nitrate. In order for the cycle to be complete you should have seen all three levels rise in sequence - ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Your nitrates are at what most would consider acceptable, especially for a FOWLR. My concern would be the amount of ammonia still detected in the tank, with the low level of nitrates and no nitrite, that tells me that the cycle is not yet completed (but others may feel differently - gotta love this hobby)
On that same note, personally I do not think you should perform a water change until after the cycle is completed. Changing the water at this point would remove part of the beneficial bacteria that is growing in the tank, and could cause your cycle to take longer.
Temperature of the tank is going to depend on what type of livestock you have, I keep my tank at 81 and have had no problems. Reading the majority of the posts on the board, you will see that most range from 78-82, with global climate changes warming the oceans, most tropical marine fish and inverts live in water that is 80-82, so duplicating that environment is a good idea IMO.
Sinnersgirl - you beat me to it