Cycling Week 1 tests

So, it's end of week 1 of cycling my new FIRST SW tank, and am just looking for some thoughts on my current chem:

Temp: 78
sg: 1.024

KH: 180 mg\L
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

Do these numbers seem to be in-line with a cycling tank?
I was expecting a HIGHER ammonia reading and a LOWER nitrate reading.

I was using API's 5 in 1 strips this past week, and have been concerned because the NO2 & NO3 were constantly 0. It has no Ammonia test, so I don't know how high or low it's been during this time.

I had a sudden brown algae bloom 6/12

I finally received my API Saltwater Master Kit today (I checked the lot codes, the oldest bottle is 8 months old). It is a lot more accurate than the strips apparently, as the strips are still reading 0.


Thoughts?

Test results (it's a boy)


Algae on sand, snails cleared off the rocks in this section:

 

are you using live rock and did you put anything in the tank to actually produce ammonia(shrimp)?

 

I have 35lb of live rock, I HAD 2 yellow tails & 1 behns damsel. (I only have the behns now, he bullied the other two to jump out). I've also been slightly overfeeding on purpose, which is what I learned to do from my FW days...

 

Also, as I sit here, I'm noticing alot more air pockets in my sand, and bubbles escaping from it (one every second or two)? This is the first I've seen that yet!

I know from brewing beer that air bubbles are a GOOD sign, with beer anyways, that it's usually bacteria (yeast) off-gassing.

 

well there's a couple things really...and I'm sure other will chime in if I'm a little off the mark.

1. If the LR is cured and full of bacteria already it may be able to handle the waste of the damsel and overfeeding.

2. In that size of a tank there may not be enough waste from the fish or food to boost the ammonia to higher levels in a weeks time.

I'm a noob still so anyone else please confirm or correct my statements

 

I guess I didn't do enough searching before asking. This is what I found:
[Sand] Bubbles in substrate

 

Thats right Coastie,except with the extra feeding and the damsel theres probably enough waste,it probably just hasn't broke down all the way yet.

OP,your params show your cycle has begun.Ammonia will drop off first,then your nitrites,after nitrites are back at 0,watch for nitrates to start falling,when they do,do a 10% wc and test again,should be good to go.

 

Providing there is no (or minimal) die-off, the tank would then be seeded by the LR rather than cycled. Gives the same results but can be done in less time.

 

The live rock came from the tanks of a very reputable LFS. It was clean, and I was told it's "tank ready" and it was kept wet for the 20 minute drive home, so I'm hoping it's just seeding the tank at this point!

Also, I did a 10% change right after adding the fish & LR, mostly because I was looking for something to do, and wanted to test my drain & add method I worked out. I don't plan on doing another until after it seems my ammonia & NO2 levels drop off.

How far can I expect my ammonia to spike?

 

That's gonna be hard to determine at this point. Your best bet is to stop overfeeding and test the ammonia daily to see if it's going up or down.