Cycling System with Dry Rock Questions

cafernico

New member
I am sorry if this had being already ask in the forum. Unfortunately I can't find the answers to some questions about cycling with dry rock.
I am in the process of setting up a small clownfish breading system. The system has a total of 100 gallon plus a 50 gallon sump. I added 100 lb of dry rocks and a few clean well cured live rock from my established tank. I have being adding Microbacter7 since day one and feeding flakes. After 3 weeks all the parameters read zero, not ammonia, not nitrites, and not nitrates. The first week I had a small spike of ammonia, second week small spike of nitrates, but since them everything reads zero. My questions are:
How much longer should I wait until I add the first pair of fish?
Should I add some more live rock and maybe some live sand? or just keep adding Microbacter7?
Thank you all for your feedback.
 
You do not need to buy anything.

Since you have bacterial seed, if the ammonia is so little that it is immediately consumed by the seed, you will not read any ammonia or nitrite or even nitrate.

To induce the expansion of population of bacteria, you have to feed them enough for their growth. There should be persistently some excess ammonia left for a period of time.
 
You do not need to buy anything.

Since you have bacterial seed, if the ammonia is so little that it is immediately consumed by the seed, you will not read any ammonia or nitrite or even nitrate.

To induce the expansion of population of bacteria, you have to feed them enough for their growth. There should be persistently some excess ammonia left for a period of time.

Thank you for your reply. Should it be safe to add a pair of clownfish to the system now or should I wait longer to allow more good bacteria growing on the system?
 
Thank you for your reply. Should it be safe to add a pair of clownfish to the system now or should I wait longer to allow more good bacteria growing on the system?

No livestock during cycling.

Add pulse of ammonia to boost bacteria population. Add some finely chopped shrimp about one smallest shrimp for sale at supermarket per 25 gallons of water.
 
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