While she is in the tank snoring...check and see how much the life insurance policy is for her.

Do you have an ATO? I would say that would probably be the next step.

I have the float switches and cable to make my switch box orders off eBay. Just awaiting there arrival and I will plumb in an ATO

ok day 2 and as i read some threads on cycling my tank i came across a a thread stating measure your ammonia and if it is over 2ppm to do a complete water change...... well i measure mine today and i see about 3 to 4 ppm ammonia.....

instantly got up and performed a 25% water change, started making RO water and heading to LFS for salt.

I also read not to start with sand in the tank, of course i have seen other posts that say you can start with sand in the tank.

what is the general consensus? I have 3.5 inches of sand in the bottom.

I've always started with sand in the tank. Can't really see any benefit to not having the sand in there to start, because when you end up putting it in, there will have to be another mini-cycle all over again.

+1 what would be the reason for adding sand after?

If I'm starting a tank from scratch I don't bother with a water change until after ammonia and nitrite read zero. For that matter I don't even bother testing ammonia ... I would test nitrite. The initial cycle is complete when nitrite reads zero.

The way I understand this ... the bacteria that feed on ammonia (and nitrite) grow in population proportional to the amount of resources that they feed on. The more food, the more they reproduce producing more bacteria to eat more ammonia. So reducing ammonia by doing a water change doesn't really help speed the cycle along, in fact it might even slow it down some. Of course, once they reach critical mass (the point at which they consume it faster than it is produced, giving you a zero reading), unless there is a continued source for the resources, they will start to die off so you need to ramp up the ammonia production by getting some life into the tank at that point.

You can add before or after, with after being a lot tougher and messier. No reason not to add it before, then try to not disturb it too much adding water.

Sand in IMO , your sand needs to start building up beneficial bacteria etc.