Riss

Could someone please help me I have started a 40 gallon SW tank, I added the salt water 3 weeks ago. Turned filter on and let sit for a week. I added LR on 9/7/08(not sure how much).
I tested water parameters on 10/7/08 and there were no Nitrites, PH 8, and no Nitrates. I tested for Ammonia, the test water came out Brown which wasnt on the colour card. So I assumed the reading was very high.
Wasnt home for three days, so the air con was not on and Temp rose to 30-32 degrees
On 14/7/08 I added another two pieces of LR and also added BioDigest little glass thing x 1.
Next day added Bioptimx 1 and day after added the Protein Skimmer. PK added lots of microbubbles to tank, so I turned air valve up to max and water outlet down and seems heaps better.
But the PK hasnt got any bubbles in collection cup, is that a problem?
Yesterday I brought new Ammonia Test Kit (different brand) and to my surprise the ammonia came back 0.
So on 17/7/08 my water parameters read
Ammonia - Omg
PH - 8
SG - 1.021
Nitrites - 0mg
Nitrates - 0ppm
My question is, has my tank cycled or maybe it actually hasnt started cycling yet??
Sorry for the long novel, any advice would be muchly appreciated as I live in Thailand and have a language barrier, so relying on internet for info.

Riss

Sorry a few things I didnt metion, was that I havent added any sand or gravel. Reason, I didnt exactly know what I could add or not. I havent had lights on. It looks like I could have some of the brown algae on parts of the LR, and there a little patches of a bluey green algae (Ithink?) not much. I have a little crab the size of my thumbnail, which came with the rock. Also I think there could be spaghetti worms as well , particularly one piece has more live stuff on it. I dont know what they are called and if good or not, there are few like tiny hairy things coming out of rock, and every so often 2 greeny type worms things pop out and go back in.
Like I say Im very new to this, so hopefully someone can advice me with what to do.
Thank you.

nathanxjr

Hi. I am a newbie as well. But I want to help because people have given me so mush advice. As far as I aware you nitrate is the final process and you get rid of that by doing a partial water change. So if you have no Nitrates I would say your tank has not cycled. If Any pros read this please correct me. Hope this has helped.

Nathan.

clinton1621

The algae on the live rock has probably absorbed most of the nitrates since the tank is still new... that would be my guess on why the nitrates are still 0.... its sounds like with all the filter feeders and the crab on the live rock doing good that your tank is cycled.... start slow with adding fish though, no more than 2 at a time and then wait a week or two while keeping an eye on your readings so you dont get any spikes before adding more