Recently setup a 20g nano on saturday. I understand patience is a virtue in this hobby. I have approx 10-15lbs of base rock and 5lbs of live rock. Used Aragonite live sand.Yesterday, 3 days after initial setup up i added 1 piece of raw shrimp into a media bag in hopes of decaying and building up bacteria to start my cycle. How often should i be testing my parameters? Once i see ammonia spike is that when i pull it out?
Cycling Advice
- Thread starter Amatuer21
- Start date
I would check the ammonia daily or at least every other day. Once you start to see ammonia rise start testing the nitrites also on a daily/every other day basis. You can also check nitrates during the cycle, but it is fine to wait until both the nitrites and ammonia drop to zero before testing the nitrates.
igot2gats
Deeeetroit Basketball!
That's the one downfall of a shrimp. However, if you use the fishless food method, it takes a lot longer.
So, it's just sucking it up for the fact of getting your cycle completed faster.
BenBradford
New member
add a hardy fish and wait... You will have the algae blooms and after the second I usually figure the cycle is done.
kikoreefer
New member
Patience let it rise to 2 atleast. You want your tank to be able to handle a load. If not once you add fish then you will have another cycle. I know its an exciting time but just breath lol
kikoreefer
New member
Lol I know we have all been there. Ohhh man it gets so freaking hard to wait. But trust me it's better to wait. I ended up buying a mature nano tank to have something to do while waiting for the cycle haha and I still added to many fish to quickly and ended up losing a couple and starting a cycle. So from personal experience not trying to be a insert your word here, just slow down it'll all be good in due time 
kikoreefer
New member
Usually not you'll be fine. And remember your going to go through the uglies which is completely normal. Most of what occurs in the beginning of your tanks life will go away. Don't panic with the diatoms, then the green film. Possibly sponge. It's all gonna be ok just patience patience patience your gonna love it a lot so don't panic. What are you planning to keep in there?
your gonna love it a lot so don't panic. What are you planning to keep in there?
Spyderturbo007
New member
Please don't do that. Ammonia is toxic to fish and burns their gills making it difficult to breathe. It's pretty much torture for them.
oshanickreef
New member
ya dont add a hardy fish. just wait it out. IMO when you jump the gun and are not patient, it will always come back and bite you in the behind later down the road. Letting your tank cycle naturally now will benefit you in the long run trust me. I have been down that road... a tank crash is not a fun thing to experience with animals already in the tank.
good luck
good luck
