cycling question

[marschgator]

OK this weekend I plan on finally putting up my 75 gallon tank. My question is on getting the tank to cycle. Alot of people have suggested using damsels to start but I don't want to go that route as it is cruel to the fish and just a big pain to fish them out afterwards. I've heard of using uncured rock but all the rock I will have is cured already. I want to try using the shrimp method that I've read about but I'm not for sure if I know exactly how to go about doing that. The way I understand it is that I can go to Wal-mart grab a couple pieces of dead raw shrimp, toss them in and ta-da, the tank will start cycling. Is it really that simple? Any negatives to doing it this way?? When should I take the shrimp out? Thanks in advance to those that respond.

 

[Lakeside518]

IMO I would add the LR Cycle filters get water upto temp. Check your SG and add a couple snails after a couple days.

Test your water parameters so you can watch the cycle progress.

 

[bertoni]

[welcome]

You won't need to add shrimp if you have live rock. Just set up the tank and watch for stability for a bit before adding anything. I usually wait 3 weeks before adding anything valuable even if I use my own cured rock, but sometimes I'm the cautious sort.

 

[brucem]

OK...so no one really answered the question. I have the same dilema....I have curred live rock in my tank and it has been up and running for about 2 weeks but I never saw a spike in amonia and all my other levels are at zero for the exception of my nitrates are at 10 PPM. I am new at this and am not sure if my tank is cycling or not. I have heard of the shrip thing also but just like the 1st post I don't know how to go about it or if I should even try it. Thanks!

 

[jjmg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6597979#post6597979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brucem
OK...so no one really answered the question. I have the same dilema....I have curred live rock in my tank and it has been up and running for about 2 weeks but I never saw a spike in amonia and all my other levels are at zero for the exception of my nitrates are at 10 PPM. I am new at this and am not sure if my tank is cycling or not. I have heard of the shrip thing also but just like the 1st post I don't know how to go about it or if I should even try it. Thanks!

Yes your tank is going thru a cycle. Really your question was answered, you just didn't know it. If you are familiar with a cycle; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate you appear to be in the latter part. You can buy local cured rock that won't give a large spike in in ammonia or nitrite. You just have to wait on the nitrates to calm down. 10 ppm isn't that bad and would be good for a fish only tank, for a reef you may want to wait a bit longer.

If your the very patient type you could wait another two or three months before putting in a snail...or you could be like the rest of us and start putting in a cleanup crew very, very slowly and allow your tank to get used to it. All thinks in reef tanks should go slow.

Did that help?

 

[bertoni]

I'll try to clarify as well.

If you use well-cured live rock, you'll possibly never see any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. I've set up a couple, hmm, three tanks that way. Nothing to worry about. The "cycle" for tanks with live rock is really just waiting for any dead animals, etc, to rot away.

The idea that the tank itself needs some sort of "cycle" is really incorrect, although it gets posted a lot of places. I would guess the idea started when people were using plastic filter media, where you're going to see the spikes because the filter has no significant bacteria population at the start. Live rock does, so it's a whole different ball game.

 

[brucem]

That is what i needed to know

Thanks

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Read waterkeepers article entitled "So you got a new fishtank newbie". One of THE best articles for anyone new to this hobby. Helped me out when I first started.