Tank Cycled - What now if no fish?

[Stupidkitty84]

I started cycling my Nuvo 15 on 12/14 using Fritz Turbo Start 900 and AlgaeBarn Nitrocycle (ammonia) plus established/seeded Matrix and 1 tiny coraline covered rock from established tank. I just checked ammonia today and it's zero so its cycled but I do not have any fish to add to it and really don't want to add any for awhile (1-2 months). However, I do have a coral order coming in 1 week and would like to add them in. So, how do I keep the bacteria alive until the coral come and can I just add coral and inverts (CBS shrimp, snails, hermits) now without fish? Can I throw in macroalgae (mermaid fan, gracilaria, pencil cap) from established tank right away? Can I add copepods (have a few bottles of Tigs and Tisbe on standby)? Do I do a water change before adding anything and how large for a 15 gallon (11 gal actual volume)?

Cycle Readings:

12/14
Amm: 8 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm (probably from using a few gallons of WC water and dirty Matrix media from my established tank)

12/15
Amm: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

12/16
Amm: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

12/17
Amm: 1-2 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0-5 ppm (too hard to read the colors on these dang tests, API and Salifert)

12/18
Amm: 0.25-0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

12/19
Amm: 0-0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm

12/20
Amm: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.50 ppm
Nitrate: 10-20 ppm
PH: 7.8 (lights off all week)

TIA!!!

 

[Stupidkitty84]

I started cycling my Nuvo 15 on 12/14. I just checked ammonia today and it's zero so its cycled but I do not have any fish to add to it and really don't want to add any for awhile (1-2 months). However, I do have a coral order coming in 1 week and would like to add them in. So, how do I keep the bacteria alive until the coral come and can I just add coral and inverts (CBS shrimp, snails, hermits) now without fish? Can I throw in macroalgae (mermaid fan, gracilaria, pencil cap) from established tank right away?

Cycle Readings:

12/14
Amm: 8 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm (probably from using a few gallons of WC water and dirty Matrix media from my established tank)

12/15
Amm: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

12/16
Amm: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

12/17
Amm: 1-2 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0-5 ppm (too hard to read the colors on these dang tests, API and Salifert)

12/18
Amm: 0.25-0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

12/19
Amm: 0-0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm

12/20
Amm: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.50 ppm
Nitrate: 10-20 ppm
PH: 7.8 (lights off all week)

TIA!!!

Can I add copepods right now? Do I do a water change before adding?

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

As long as there's a food source you can add copepods whenever

 

[ElementReefer]

Think about it this way: What do people do who set up invert only tanks? The same thing, really. Only that’s it, that’s the ecosystem and it’s fine.

 

[ElementReefer]

And I might do a water change to get ahead of that 20 nitrate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do not do a water change. Cycling generally last 14-21 days and your numbers show desired decline.
Using API kits, I would encoutage you to Take a water sample to a trusted lfs that does Not use API anything and see what results they come up with and to compare with yours.
When your ammonia is steady at zero for 5 days and Nitrate is steady at 20 or below- You are cycled. Ignore nitrIte Unless sky high
The tank will go through two phases in which ammonia will rise then fall and nitrate will rise and fall which is normal. When fish are added, the bacteria population will increase with the new bio load, converting waste to nitrate.
Overloading tank with too many fish up front will exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why its best to stock fish slowly over the next few months so that the bacterial levels can adapt to the new loads

 

[bushdoc]

If you add copepods before water change, you will throw away some of them during water change.