Advice needed on my Cycle Please!

[SEGA]

I need some direction please!
I set my RS 170 up exactly one week ago today. This morning I noticed that I already have Diatoms blooming all over my rock and spots in the sand bed (picture attached). This seemed to happen overnight.

I've got 40 lb. of Caribsea Dry Life Rock and 30 lb. of Special Grade Arag-Alive sand for my substrate. Before I put the rock in, I cured it for about 2-1/2 weeks in a natural sea water that I collected from a tidal creek in the middle of the Island where we live. The creek is very rich in nutrients and has no boat traffic whatsoever, so I'm confident the water is good. I thought the natural sea water would boost the cycle a little.

The water in the tank is 5 stage RO/DI with the TDS meter reading 0. I didn't add any additives, although I have Ammonium Chloride and Dr. Tim's on the way. I initially skimmed only for about 6-8 hours to pull out the scum from the rock and sand and to help clear the water. I haven't skimmed since then. The only filtration has been through the filter sock.

So, my question is, would the sand and natural sea water have been enough to kick-start the cycle and cause the bloom? Should I start skimming and add a CUC at this point?

Current parameter are:
Temp 77.9
Salinity. 1.026
PH 8.0
Ammonia .5 ppm
Nitrite 1 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm

Everything is the same as it was when I tested Wednesday, except the nitrite has risen by (roughly) .25 ppm

Any thoughts on if I should still dose the Ammonium and use Dr. Tim's when it gets here?

 

[SEGA]

I just noticed that I posted this in the wrong forum!

 

[Victor_C3]

It’s all part of the cycle.

Just let things run their course for 3-4 months before you start worrying about anything. You tank and it’s microflora and microfauna need to reach homeostasis and various things will bloom as this happens.

You’ll get a bacterial bloom and your water will turn cloudy for a few days until the population of organisms that eat bacteria take over everything. After that, another organism that eats the previous bloom organism will bloom, and so on.

Depending on how you’re ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are doing, you should be able to begin to add a CUC and a few fish around 4-6 weeks in.

Do yourself a favor and don’t even bother testing anything for at least a month.

Probably about 2-3 months in, hair algae will take over everything. Slowly ramp up you refugium and you CUC and it should sort itself out after a few weeks.