Tank in Cycle?

Ok so I just filled my tank on thursday of last week. My numbers were as follows.

0.0ppm Nitrate
0.0ppm Ammonia
0.0ppm Nitrite
8.3 PH

Now my tank is...

0.00ppm Nitrate
1.00ppm Ammonia
0.25 Nitrite
7.9 PH

Is my tank Cycling?

If so how long will the high ammonia last?

TIA

Beamerhack

 

Yes, your tank is cycling and you are looking at roughly a month or so til the cycling process has run its course.

 

I used already aged live sand and rock. Mine took about a month maybe a month and half to start to level out. sorry I'm not very experienced. But this is what mine did.

 

that's sounds about normal as you will see spikes in ammonia and nitrates while you are cycling, so yes you are in the cycling process.. What did you use to start the cycling?

 

I added this to the tank...

75 Pounds of base rock
2 rocks that was a total of 8 pounds from my LFS owner who gave me peices right out of his display tank.
20 pound bag of live sand
50 pounds of dry sand

I let it run for 3 days and then added

1 Blue Yellow Footed Damsel
4 Turbo Snails
2 Emerald Crabs

48 hours later the parameters went to what you see now.

I know I should not gotten the Emerald crabs but the rock I got from the fish store had some bubble alge and I didnt want it to over run my tank. The crabs have cleared it out now I am seeing hair alge I think starting to grow everywhere

Beamerhack

 

you will see a spike in ammonia first before nitrates because nitrates are the end of the decomposition(waste) stage. as far as algae goes you will see different blooms during the cycling process. sounds like your of to a good start but I wouldn't add anything else till your done cycling.