Get yourself one of these, API Master Test Kit
You want to test for ammonia and NITRITE daily, doing a water change of about 30% if the ammonia goes about 4ppm. After around 14 days or so, ammonia will start to decrease as the NITRITE bacteria start to form. These will start to drop after a week or so and NITRATES will start to appear. Cycle takes about 6 weeks to fully finish, but can take longer. You cycle is done when ammonia and NITRITE are at 0ppm, nitrates should be around 20ppm, do a 50% water change or more to bring the NITRATES down to around 5-10ppm, job done.
With that kit, ammonia is at 0 when it is yellow, nitrITES when it goes baby blue and nitrates should be in the light orange shade. Thats the simplified version, theres other stuff available on-line.