Cycled???

[RBSelfridge]

Hi everyone, I'm new to saltwater tanks but have read a lot, but basically ignorant. I have a Biocube 29 with skimmer I purchased 2 months ago. When I got home I rinsed substrates very well and filled with purified drinking water and Ocean salt and let run a week, no skimmer. Then I treated water with a buffer, quick start, and fluval trace elements and let run 1 more week. I then purchased 40 lbs of cultured live rock and started ghost feedings every other day running skimmer now for a month. So here is my question, My tank has technically been running 2 months now and water has never shown any amounts of Ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates. I'm about ready to purchase coral so something in this tank moves. Oh I also have a powerhead for current. Can anyone tell me why my cycle hasn't started, or how much longer it could take? Please getting frustrated here

[mcgyvr]

Did you purchase the live rock locally?
If so it contained all the needed bacteria along with the quick start product,etc..
Your tank should easily be cycled by now.. and you just missed it or it was basically instant because of the live rock..

[Civicman86]

From what I have read (im also cycling right now), ghost feeding and the cycle in a bottle, dont work really well. The food does not have much organic material to really kick start the bacteria. Dosing with ammonia or a raw shrimp would be a better way to start it.

That being said, from what i read, since you are using cultured live rock you may not see a spike in ammonia. If it was me i would add a raw shrimp just to make sure. Like i keep telling myself - patience

[Bender19]

So during this whole time you have read 0 Ammonia Nitrite and Nitrate?

If you have been ghost feeding, even if your "cycled" your Nitrate should be rising. Nitrate is the end result of the Nitrogen Cycle.

What test kits are you using? Are you testing daily?

[Mashaw]

Iv been in this hobby to long to just let that go, i would give it another month befor adding anything to the tank, or just add afew chepo fish to the system just to be sure

[Tripod1404]

Originally Posted by Bender19

So during this whole time you have read 0 Ammonia Nitrite and Nitrate?

If you have been ghost feeding, even if your "cycled" your Nitrate should be rising. Nitrate is the end result of the Nitrogen Cycle.

What test kits are you using? Are you testing daily?

Nitrogen gas is the end product of nitrogen cycle. If you have enough anaerobic regions in your tank (deep sand bed, very porous live rock, etc), you can have anaerobic bacteria that are capable of converting nitrate to N2.