Cycled tank...?

[beckieja]

Hi

I Currently have a Fluval Edge 23L, with stock LED lighting, stock filter, heater (thermostat type running a solid 25.5!), 3kg live rock, sand, saltwater (bought ready made from LFS), tunze mini pump and thermometer.

I set it all up on 02/03, and decided to check the water levels every 3 days. So on the 3rd day the ammonia was about 0.75ppm and with it being such a small tank I think we completely missed the big spike and caught it on its way back down. Completely missed the nitrites as when we checked on the 6th day the nitrates were at about 10ppm.

Then on day 9 all levels were stable including salinity (except pH which I have used pH buffer to bring it up to 8.3). So I decided to wait a while and continue checking all levels - all stayed perfect even 0 nitrates, so then on day 11 I added 2 red legged hermit crabs and 2 yellow legged hermits (unfortunately my 4 are now 3 as despite putting 15 shells of varying size in the tank, the bigger yellow legged decided it fancied the others shell and literally ripped it out and killed it, brutal thing!!)

And its now day 19, and the crabs have been in there for a week... and Literally none of the water levels have budged - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates etc...

So I'm beginning to think it has cycled? Or am I dreaming lol? It is quite a small tank so maybe I got lucky!

My main question is, do you think maybe next weekend (it will of been nearly a month) it will be ready for fish if the levels stay as they are? What fish would you recommend (I want 2x clowns as I am upgrading to a much bigger tank if all goes well with this one towards the end of this year!)? And also when should I do my first water change?

Thanks all

[seabass]

You could add a clownfish if you want. I wouldn't get a second until you've upgraded to a larger tank. Feel free to do water changes whenever you wish.