Cycling my second reef tank

[stanleo]

If I am posting this in the wrong forum please will one of the admins move it for me.

Hi all!

I was on this forum several years ago until I had to give up my reef tank. I got it as a result of marriage so I have never actually cycled a saltwater tank before and want some help and advice. I have setup and cycled several freshwater tanks and currently have a 120 gallon FW.

I am planning a reef aquarium with soft and hard corals, fish and inverts.

So this is the tank and equipment I currently have. I will try to be as thorough as possible.

120 Gallon 48"x24"x24"
Filter is a Fluval canister FX6 brand new
Light is LED DSunY from Shenzhen DSunY Electronic Science & Technology. It is preprogrammed to simulate the natural sun cycle for a reef so the light is on for ten hours.
2 powerheads. One is an old one from my first tank so I don't have the specs but the other is a new Koralia Third Gen circulation and wave pump with a flow rate of 2450gph
I have a skimmer on order
I have a RO/DI filter but I set up the tank with tap water using Alpha from Aquavitro
Salt mix was Instant Ocean Sea Salt
API Reef Master Kit for Calcium, Phosphate, KH and Nitrate.
API Freshwater Master Kit for Ammonia, Nitrite and PH
Refractometer for salinity testing.

Tank was setup two weeks ago with a 5 inch live sand bed and one largish piece of live rock. I added more live rock about five days ago and put in a piece of shrimp to start the cycling process on Friday. Testing started on Saturday and these are the results for Feb 2/3/4:

PH 8.2/8.2/8.2
Ammonia 0/.50/.50 ppm
Nitrite 0/0/0 ppm
Nitrate 0/0/0 ppm
KH 9/9/9 drops
Calcium 420/420/400 ppm
Phosphate 0/.25/.25 ppm
Salinity 1.025/1.025/1.025
Temp is 78F/25.6C

Light has been running for about a week and the diatoms are growing like crazy.

I know what to expect from the nitrogen cycle but I would like to confirm that I am doing it right. My research says that I am but I want to ask the experts.

I am concerned that by the time the cycle is complete I will be overrun by algae. Is that just something I have to deal with a new setup or is there something I can do about it?

Anything you can tell me about this process will be educational and greatly appreciated.

Here are some pics

 

[sfin52]

Welcome back back. Did you use lr and live sand ?

 

[stanleo]

yes, at least the guy at the LFS said it was. It all (with the exception of 3 decorative pieces) came out of holding tanks. The sand was Fiji Pink

 

[sfin52]

The lr and the pieces that came out of the holding tanks all have the bacteria to break down ammonia and nitrite. Your cycle may be a lot quicker than you think

 

[stanleo]

Thank you. that is my hope

 

[cgdcinc]

You could not run your lights or cut back the amount of time. Help not to to fuel growth until you get cycled and get your CUC in there.

 

[reef lover]

Welcome back!!https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/

 

[brandon429]

remove the shrimp its contributing to early algae feed its not needed here at all. nice setup!