10 Gallon saltwater aquarium. Not cycling?

[Stangman]

I'm sure you guys get this question a lot, but I'm new, and read all I can find!

So I was donated a little 10 gallon aquarium, so I figured, I'd make a little saltwater aquarium with not too much stuff in it.

I bought 10 lbs live sand, and 3.5-4 lbs of live rock. Kept the aquarium at 80 degrees, and have a little filter that hangs off the back (Circulating quite a lot I think), and some lights, which I pretty much leave off for the time being.

I also have about 5 hermit crabs in there, some tube worms living on the live rock, and some bristleworms (I believe?) that pop out every so often. Long ugly things. And a tiny little starfish.

But it's been 3-4 weeks, and everything is still reading zero! Salinity is good, PH is good, but no ammonia, no nitrates or nitrites.

I figured with that much live stuff going on, it would have at least started cycling by now? What am I missing?

Finally, when it does cycle, is all the livestock on the live rocks going to be killed off/

Thanks!

 

[Ulta]

The cycle only takes place with die off (Decay) If there is nothing to decay there will be no cycle :)
If your stuff is already live then it should have a sufficient colony of bacteria, and if you didn't kill any of it off in the transfer then you can skip a cycle.

 

[the reef kid]

Where did you get the live rock and how long was it transported for? if was already cycled, and you didn't transport for long, there's a chance that there was no cycle. The only reason a tank that has live rock in it has to cycle is because sometimes in transport, things will die off, and you get an ammonia spike, which will cause a cycle. But if nothing died, then viola, no cycle!
Ninja'd...

 

[reeffreak]

Like Ulta said,you may of had no die-off or it was so fast you missed it.Before adding anything else.I would get to at least one pound of live rock to a gallon so 10-15lbs of live rock.

 

[Stangman]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

The guy at the store said it's 100% cured and he just got it in, so I'm not sure what that means. There have been a couple hermit crab deaths and limb seperations (Who knows what they were doing), but I guess that wouldn't be enough decay to cycle?

So I'm probably in the clear?

As for 1lbs of live rock, is that necessary with the 10lbs of sand? I'd like to get a couple more pounds, but I'm thinking 10 lbs might fill up the whole aquarium! haha

So am I safe to add a fish and emerald crab, and 2 pounds of live rock, or is that too much for this aquarium and it will start a deadly cycle (again?).

Could I really miss it if I watch it each day? And furthmore, there is no nitrates and nitrites.. Shouldn't there be if a cycle happened, or even if not, if there is none of those, is it really safe to add things?

 

[reeffreak]

I would add the rocks first then check for ammonia and nitrite for the next few days.If everything is still at zero then it would be safe for fish.

 

[the reef kid]

What were you looking at for fish? you're pretty limited in a tank that size.

 

[Stangman]

Maybe some sort of cleaner fish, a small fish, and an emerald crab. Probably not too much, I wouldn't think?

So it doesn't matter that nitrites (the good one?) is still at zero? It could still have cycled?

 

[Bifferwine]

Nitrites are bad. They should be at zero.

 

[yote]

+1 All the above.

 

[Stangman]

Thanks guys! Ok, I guess I'll chuck in a bit more live rock, and then see what happens.

Should i do a partial water change first since it's been 3-4 weeks?

Also, really noob question. Should I vacuum up the legs/bodies of the fallen hermit crabs, or let nature do it's thing?

 

[Bifferwine]

Let nature take its course. They will become food for someone.