Unexpected Water Test Results During Cycling

[dixaisy930]

A week ago I set up my first saltwater tank. I purchased about 20 lbs of live rock, and I had about 10 lbs of dead/base rock (in a 29 gallon). I bought uncured rock, since I was going to be cycling the tank. After shaking off all of the brown/dead stuff in the tank at the lfs, the LR looked very promising with lots of purple coraline. I didn't bothering testing the water since I assumed with the die off, I would get ammonia, thus starting the cycle. I tested my water last night and ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all 0. I was so disappointed. I bought BioSpira bacteria, and added food to the tank. This evening I tested the water: the ammonia 0, nitrite .25, and nitrate 10. Was is possible that the LR didn't bring anything along with it? No bacteria, no organisms what-so-ever? I would be really surprised, since it looked so promising. I'm just trying to make sense of these readings. Thanks

 

[crazyelece]

More than likely the uncured live rock was mostly cured and all that dead that was shaken off was the rest of the uncured part. Most likely the live rock is now cured or mostly there. Just keep checking the levels, they don't lie. Also you can't get nitrites or nitrates without the bacteria that break down ammonia and nitrite respectively.