How do I know my tank has cycled

[Caramel]

Hi, I'm new to the hobby. I read a lot before setting up my reef tank but nothing better than learning from experienced hobbists!
I set up last sunday a 75G tank with about 60 lbs of Tonga cured LR. ~1"1/2 Aragonite SB. Lights:150W MH and 2X65W actinic.
the refugium is 40G with Caulerpa, SB>3" with 24hrs illumination with a 65W actinic.
Salinity:35, T:25C, pH~8.4

I started to add lights in the main tank yesterday.
I'm planning to add 1 hr/day until reach the recommended 11 hr total (8 only for MH).
I tested the water for NH4, NO2 and NO3 on Wed and all readings were at 0.
Again today and nothing is happening. my undersatnding is that it happens to not have any NH4 spike with cured LR.
Then, how do I know when there will be enough bacteria to process NH4?
When can I add things?I'm planning to start with a clown and some softies (2 or 3)?
Should I just wait an arbitrary 1 month or should I add some booster (I've heard some people add a piece of shrimp or even ammonia)?

Is there anything I do wrong?
All inputs are welcome!

[crvz]

If the rock really "cured" in a sense that it had no remaining death on it from the shipping/collecting process, then there really wouldnt be a cycle worth mentioning. Where did you get the rock from?

You may try to add something to boost the process, I always recommend a piece of raw shrimp overnight. Honestly, it wouldnt hurt anything in any case, so maybe you could do that regardless. I would always wait as long as reasonable, so a month to six weeks will not hurt anything. There's no need to rush it, regardless of what rationale you may think you have.

The only thing I would consider changing on your system is the caulerpa. consider changing to chaeto, which is considerably easier to control. And regarding the light, the 11 hour recommendation is arbitrary, really you only need to run them as long as the corals demand it or as long as you want to have the tank visible. There is no specific photoperiod... I know some folks that ran the MH just 2 hours a day with actinics on merely to view the tank, and others that had to run MH 12 hours a day. It really depends on the tank demands, so keep that in mind.

Welcome to TRT!! Glad you decided to start sharing some of your tank!

[Caramel]

Thanks for the reply, and the info on the cycling and lighting.
I'll follow your advice and be patient!
I got my LR from my LSF and I think there were pretty well cured.
Were could I get chaeto, they don't carry it at my LSF?

I think this hobby has turned into an obsession in a very short amount of time

[Loverotties]

But just remember slower is better!

[crvz]

I'm pretty sure there's a club in Pennsylvania, chaeto is pretty easily harvested from anyone who has it. Matter of fact, I really don't buy anything from the LFS anymore. Mostly just fish if I want to see them in person. Frags I get from local hobbyists, and most of my equipment comes from the internet. I have no issue supporting local stores, but there's only one within reasonable driving distance to me and they carry only a limited assortment of equipment.

[Caramel]

I'll check for a club and see if somone has chaeto.
From your posting it seems the key for success is patience, I have to learn something here!
Thanks.

[aquawolf]

Welcome to TRT!!!

One thing you will hear over and over is that nothing good happens fast in a reef. Patience will be your best friend and your biggest thing to try to maintain.

Best of luck with your newly established addiction.