cycling?

I'm sure this had already been answered a time or two sorry in advance

This is the first tank I've set up on my own from scratch so I've never seen the cycling process happen. I've done much research, read forms on here, and talked to people. So I understand what had to happen, why it happens, and how it happens but I'm confused because I have yet to see much signs of cycling in my tank. It's only been running for a week so maybe it's still to soon? Maybe I'm missing a key element in the process? Walk through on how I set the tank up and what's been done so far. I used 20 lbs of live sand (yep in a bag haha) with its packet, 16 lbs of wet live rock from Ryan at aquatic dreams, 2 or so lbs of live rock from my boyfriend already established reef tank. I filled the back "heater" section with dry live rock rubble. I filed it with 2 gallons of reef water and the remaining pre-mixed salt again from Ryan. The next day I tested the water and the levels where: ph=7.4, ammonia= 0.50, nitrate= 0.50 and nitrate. The same Day I added 2 snails and 2 crabs (after talking to Ryan about cycling without fish). I only run my light for about 2hrs a day. It sat for 2 days then I left for the weekend fully expecting to come back to dead crabs and snails, and maybe some diatoms. But instead I came home to 2 live hermits,2 live snails, and white bugs on my glass. My water tonight test as so: ph=8.2, ammonia=0, nitrite=0, and nitrate=20. What am I missing? Is this normal?

From what you explained I would say that all is going as expected.
Not much in the way of living matter has gone into the tank to create any pollution so that's why N levels are low. The LR moved from that established tank is handling it so far. The live sand bed is still getting established and is not ready for anything immediate.

Growth of the biofiltration, or in other words, bacteria, bugs and worms, can come as quickly or as slowly as we want, depending on how much goes into the tank to provide decomposing organic matter.
I believe it is only a matter of time before brown diatom algae will become visible. To shorten the duration of that process, add as much Macroalgae as can be found and turn the lights on to a 10-12 hour photoperiod.
Because of traditional information still hanging on the www and because of the constant turnover of hobbyists, the hobby in general still does not seem to grasp the faster way of setting up a tank which I described almost 10 years ago here, http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
and which BobC is currently doing a great job of writing about here: http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=66673

Aloha,
Mark

A source of ammonia is needed to build up the bacteria colony.  I cycled my tank by putting in dr tims one and only. http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/treat-aquarium-nitrite-ammonia-levels

I don't think it has either I just assumed (probably never a good thing) that I would see some sort of change. Either in water levels, dead critters, diatoms, yucky water haha I don't know what really just something. The tank is is 16gl Innovative Marine, I can't find the exact measurements though.

They way you are doing it will work, it will just take longer.  If you are looking to get it cycled fast that one and only can have it done in 2 weeks or less.  Mine took about 2 weeks.  At that point I added 2 fish and no issues.

tink wrote: Week two and still no, it's this okay?

Your tank is what it is; they all take a little different period of time to cycle.

All other water parameters are good, I'll just be moving everything from my nano over except the rock and sand. The nano is a toxic soup bowl right now so if i can get my coral out of there asap I'd love too haha. Thank you for your guys advice I've never set up a new tank so I wasn't sure what to expect. Your advice is greatly appreciated

Should I wait to add anything to the new tank for a while after I do that or just do it at the same time? The parameters aren't way bad but they aren't good either I did a water change (only a gallon) in that tank about a week ago and now I'm having a crazy out break of different algaes I'm not so fond of But it is what is and the nano will be shut down soon. Thank you again

I'm in agreement with Bob.
I see less problems with moving the coral over now than leaving it in a bad situation. The more life is moved over the less this new tank will be a "new" tank.
Remember, "Coral filter the water." Coral actually creates its own nice environment. Also, the problems Bob mentioned about soft coral are easily avoided by running AC

Could you be more specific about this "...crazy out break of different algaes..."

Every problem is fixable and yet we would not like to hear of you having problems (crazy algae) again with the new tank. It might be good to show us the old tank so we can help you avoid the same thing happening down the road in your new tank.

The good news is that appears to be pretty well established live rock