Since you do have a big tank along with all macro rocks, it might take a while to even kick start the cycle. With microbacter7, its just going to help you establish the bacterias quicker and depending on your tank's environment, might cut short the cycle (can't comment on how short since that's a tough variable to predict). Maybe the volume of water is diluting the organics from the rotting shrimps and hence you are not getting any reading. Give it some time. When you see the whole shrimp turn into a cotton ball like thingy; you should be getting some spikes!

It's been quite a while since I cycled a new tank. But as I recall, the ammonia showed first followed by nitrite shortly after, and nitrates stayed zero for quite a while. But finally when the nitrates started to show, and they showed high, the nitrites and ammonia then went to zero.

So if you have never seen nitrites or nitrates, I would say your tank still hasn't cycled.

It took me a few months to cycle that tank, but that was before I was using MB7, and initially only had dry rock, no live rock.

YA .
I just have that beginner angst ..
the Two shrimp that are in there are wrapped in an alien cotton cocoon. But I will continue to let them rot .

1 of the peices of live rock i got from Blue world has some really short looking brown hair sprouting on one part of it . in addition to some green leafy nubs on another part .

Today i spent the morning wiping down all the windows in the front of my house . Crazy amounts of moisture building up in my house as a result of this hot tube .. fish tank .

Wayne , was thinking of adding those led strips , but they are all coroded inside and in general are not very attractive .. I think i will just use the MH untill i can afford some nice accent leds to add or switch out the hole Jambalaya to an all LED rig .

It appears this waiting for a cycle thing is easier said then done .....

thanks again for the input everyone
checking Canreef for inputs on my thread is all i have now that the tank has to site haha

Welcome to the fun part ;) I did my cycle in a totally different way and didn't interact with canreef during that time since I was sure to get flamed :lol: Oh wait...I think I never had any major cycle even! Just one tini tiny bit! :razz:

Another update ..

Been 16 days , I have had a very small brown diatom bloom on the sand and marco rocks .
Little bite of hair growing on some of rock that i got from the LFS.

NOTHING at all as far as ammonia , nitrites or nitrates. Even had the water tested at the LFS.
Almost done my 2 week start up dose of MB7 . there are tons of pods and worms and astrenia stars all over the place . I have added a bunch of Zoas and some Ricordias which seem to be doing very well .

I added 2 generic snails , and 1 hermit crab . they have been in for a week now and still goin .

here is some pics
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0957.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0958.jpg

What did you do MRHASAN to experience no cycle ?

I used fully cured live rock and hence no cycle; just a tini tiny (my clown survived through) to adjust the bioload and that's all.

Since you are having algae bloom, that mean's either:
1. The macros are leaching phosphates
2. You are actually at the end of cycle (which I don't think so since you system is mostly dryrocks but then again, I might be wrong since you have used MB7)

ya , I seem to have a very hard time finding info on new tanks with the use of MB7

Two Large prawns have completely disappeared , rotted away to nothing .
And yet i still test all 0's

I do have about 10 pounds of rock in there as well .. came out of a couple year old tank and where 100 percent covered in coraline. so maybe that helped .

i dont know lol just going to keep putting along . maybe add a fish soon , see what happens

Different tank cycles differently. Maybe you tank is cycled with the bioload you have provided. There's are just lots of possibilities at your current situation.

If you plan on adding fish, don't add damsel :P

I would keep an eye on your po4. I used marco rock and experience a terrible bout of hair algae from them leaching phosphates. So far your planning seems good. Diatoms will go away after the silicates in the sand get used up. As long as you add in your fish slowly. I bet you could add in a hardy smaller one or some more cleaners

Sort of the natural cycle, Tanks are never really "cycled".