Wow you can cycle a tank with a clownfish??
- Thread starter MimicTang
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drummereef
Team RC
Just drop a piece of raw shrimp in the tank and that will start the cycle just fine. No fish hurt in the process. 
AquaReeferMan
Got Reef?
You shouldnt use any fish to cycle a tank. Thats how I feel. You will know when your tank is cycled or not by using test kits.
Poorcollegereef
Future Doc
yeah, one shouldnt use a fish to cycle a tank. A piece of shrimp or my favorite is a piece of uncured LR method. Placing a fish in a uncycled tank is like being locked up in a small room without any plumbing... not very nice conditions.
Shagsbeard
New member
You can "cycle" your tank by peeing in it yourself.
All you mean when you say "cycle" is to provide nutrients for bacteria in order to stimulate their growth in anticipation of fish someday doing the same.
1) Live rock does this naturally. If you have live rock in your tank, you need nothing else to provide food for the bacteria.
2) A dead shrimp works fine too. As it decomposes, it releases nutrients for the bacteria. Adding uneaten food to the tank does the same thing.
3) Any living fish would work, but it's mean to the fish... no mater what fish you use. And it's likely to kill it. If it doesn't, it'll surely **** it off.
All you mean when you say "cycle" is to provide nutrients for bacteria in order to stimulate their growth in anticipation of fish someday doing the same.
1) Live rock does this naturally. If you have live rock in your tank, you need nothing else to provide food for the bacteria.
2) A dead shrimp works fine too. As it decomposes, it releases nutrients for the bacteria. Adding uneaten food to the tank does the same thing.
3) Any living fish would work, but it's mean to the fish... no mater what fish you use. And it's likely to kill it. If it doesn't, it'll surely **** it off.
I've read that same book, and just because she does it, doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. Does it work? Of course it does. Damsels (to include clownfish) are very hardy and generally survive the experience. That's no reason to subject them to it when there are equally effective and much kinder options (see Shagsbeard's post).
Poorcollegereef
Future Doc
ehhh, dont worry tang, wasnt trying to roast ya. there are far worse things than using a fish to cycle a tank... such as introducing a lion fish in a community reef, buying a tang for a 10 gal tank, not understanding the nitrogen cycle, not doing waterchanges...when there is a heavy bioload, not declorinating tap water, 20 inches of fish per gallon, and buying a prizm skimmwe for a reef tank... we could all go on
if anything I kinda thank you for posting this subject because many noob(no offense to anyone) who actually do a little reading might take some suggestions made by a book as holy scripture and when things fail the get out of the hobby rather than learning from many sources. In the end many people starting the hobby might have read this and now have a better understanding of proper methods of cycling a tank. congrats tang for bringing up the issue.
if anything I kinda thank you for posting this subject because many noob(no offense to anyone) who actually do a little reading might take some suggestions made by a book as holy scripture and when things fail the get out of the hobby rather than learning from many sources. In the end many people starting the hobby might have read this and now have a better understanding of proper methods of cycling a tank. congrats tang for bringing up the issue.
sir_dudeguy
Active member
that whole "cycle your tank with damsels" is a bunch of crap imo. Live rock is going to cycle on its own. Just go with that. And if you dont use live rock, then just drop in a shrimp, or like shagbeard said..pee in it! lol
you could use ANY fish to cycle a tank, not just damsels. They all poop and make waste and get the amonia and stuff going..but for the fish's sake, dont cycle with them. Raw shrimp should be the very most you use (but dont use that fi you've got live rock...that'll cause unnessesary spikes)
oh, and many books say that because they're either a) outdated and dont do the newer common methods, or b) the writer didnt really research too much or they really just dont care.
you could use ANY fish to cycle a tank, not just damsels. They all poop and make waste and get the amonia and stuff going..but for the fish's sake, dont cycle with them. Raw shrimp should be the very most you use (but dont use that fi you've got live rock...that'll cause unnessesary spikes)
oh, and many books say that because they're either a) outdated and dont do the newer common methods, or b) the writer didnt really research too much or they really just dont care.
Mike n Tammy
New member
Will some frozen brine suffice?
whiteshark
Active member
Necrobump. You sure could add some frozen brine to start the cycle. Putting it in a fine mesh bag will make it easier to remove once your ammonia levels bump up.
davidadelp
New member
Lol I can see someone now standing on a chair aiming into their Fishtank trying to pee in it
skeeter_ca
Active member
Why not, pee has a lot of ammonia in it. Maybe i'll try that on my next tank. lol
CStrickland
New member
pee would be better than listening to those BRS set-up videos and using a clownfish 
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