cycle - 2 weeks so far...many questions

[firewill65]

I started my cycle on my 180 2 weeks ago. I added 15lbs of live rock, 160lbs of sand and 100lbs of base rock...one snail died in the tank so I figured I would leave it to help my cycle.

End of first week

my ph stayed around 7.8
salinity 30ppt
ammonia 0
nitrates 0
temp 77.8 - 79.2

I added some food pellets on the 5th day...no changes noted

end of second week

ph 8.0
salinity 30ppt
ammonia .25 maybe .50 (cant' tell too well with color)
nitrates 5-25 range
temp 77.8-79.2

I've added food pellets a total of 3 times in 2 weeks...to feed any bacteria since there wasn't too much life on my live rock.


I have 3 emerald crabs which I bought and 3 snails that hitchhiked with the live rock. The emerald crabs ate every bit of bubble algae that I found on my live rock....none is left that I can see. Saved me from having to take out all the rock I put in! I have pods swimming and floating all over.

QUESTIONS:

Will this cycle kill my crabs, snails or pods?

Is it common for most purple coraline on my liverock to go away? I run my lights only a few hours a night.

Lastly, if I use a micron sponge filter in my sump will it capture and kill all the pods floating around my Display? I wanted to try and let them build up a population before I added a filter.
When should I crank up the protein skimmer? Will this kill my pods as well?

Sorry for all the questions...your help is greatly apprecaited.

Thanks,
Will

[dorgan]

Get rid of the micro sponge... Put a piece of shrimp from the store in there.

[firewill65]

isn't a dead snail, fish food pellets, and uncured liverock the same thing as a shrimp? The polishing filter was taken out as I thought it would kill any pods that would get caught in it.