Cycle Questions

[kampo]

Have a 20in reef I started cycling about 3 weeks ago. 30lb of dry rock 2ish lb of live rock from LFS, and 20lb of live sand. Dropped a shrimp in the sump, hooked up ATO, and let her go for past 3 weeks, expecting it to cloud up get all gross nasty for a few weeks then clear out figured I'd start testing then to see where things were. but its stayed crystal clear past few weeks, which is throwing me for a loop. I don't have a light on the tank since i'm still working on it (diy project) so no algae yet. could that 2ish LB of rock been enough to support the breakdown of the shrimp and basically "insta cycle" my tank? for a tank with absolutely no mechanical filtration (trying sockless) its crazy how clean this tank looks, considering a whole large raw shrimp has disappeared in the sump (sucked into pump at some point and well "pureed" itself)

[mcgyvr]

Not sure why you think the tank should get cloudy when cycling..
Tanks can get cloudy on occasion but to have it get cloudy just isn't a typical phase of cycling one should expect..

[ReefNomad]

Typically, cloudiness after setup is from dust and particulate suspended in the water column. There are plenty of systems that never experience that phase, because it's dependent on the cleanliness of the starter rock and substrate.
Watch for a diatom algae bloom. When the rusty colored, powdery algae begins forming rapidly, you'll know you're approaching the turning point.

[Reefiez]

testing ammonia/nitrites and nitrates will probably be a better indication of where your tank is in the cycle compared to water clarity =P

[kampo]

ran tests the other day and to my eyes was 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, and barely any
nitrate, didn't quite trust my eyes, seemed kinda lot to me since i added so much bio material to the tank with that large raw shrimp so brought it to a fish store i trust and they got the same reedings. so sounds like i'm cycled added first fish and going to take it slow but sounds like the live rock/sand I got was more effecent than i thought

[lapin]

Lucky you....:))))