Red sea reef mature stalling cycle?

[DevC]

Good Day All

I'm new here to reef Central and new to the hobby ....

I Have recently set up a Red Sea Max Nano cube aquarium and seem to have a problem regarding the cycle.

All equipment is new and I am cycling with Red Sea Reef Mature Pro Kit but nothing seems to be happening? I am using dry reef base substrate with apparently cured dry rock purchased from a LFS. My concern is that I am on day 9 of the programme and still have lots of bacterial bloom and have not picked up a spike in the ammonia as yet, seems to be dropping?

Can anyone assist with some advice ?

 

[Nanoreefer15]

According to your water parameters it appears that you may have actually skipped a huge Ammonia spike and are nearing the end of your cycle. You want the Ammonia and Nitrite at 0 before removing the water then replenishing it with fresh saltwater. Which at that time you will have completed your cycle.

 

[mcgyvr]

The red sea program is kind of a joke to me... Only in a perfect world could you plot out a daily cycle like that..

But I don't know what you were expecting.. Your ammonia rose to .8ppm and is now going down as its being turned into nitrites and nitrates..
Your tank is cycling just fine..
Patience grasshopper.. patience..

When nitrites and ammonia are zero the tank has cycled and you can SLOWLY begin adding clean up crew and whatever you want in the tank.. Just don't expect to be able to drop in multiple fish at one time and not have issues..

And IMO go real slow until you get through the "uglies" (diatoms/algae/cyano even) which can take weeks or longer..

Personally I will NEVER cycle a tank for less than 4 weeks.. I basically setup a tank throw a few pinches of flake food in for the first couple days and let it be for 4 weeks (top off with fresh water only) then go from there..
I don't even test anymore as I just know thats what it takes..

 

[DevC]

Thanks mcgyvr !! I will give it some more time and see what happens ...