I wanted to post this as I found it very odd. I called 3 LFS and was inquiring about some things with regards to my QT I have set up and running. I mentioned to them that I am cycling the QT with a large dead jumbo shrimp I bought from a local food store. ALL of them said they had never heard of cycling a tank with a "dead" animal. But rather they questioned as to whether this works or not. They all said you have to have a live being in the tank producing waste in order for the tank to cycle. Does anyone have articles they can fordward to me (links that is) to prove this works? I have seen many people on here do this and only assume it works as I have not seen otherwise. This is my first time to cycle one like this.
Cycling a tank
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roka64
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A live animal produces waste. A rotting animal produces the same waste. Food will also do the same. The bacteria just needs an ammonia source, ie; fish waste, rotting waste. I'm surprised you called three and they all had no clue.
Check this:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15
+++EDIT+++
You have to consider, would they rather make the money off of you by buying their fish (that may even die, during the cycle) and replacement ones, than going to a grocery store and buying a cheap raw shrimp? LOL!
Check this:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15
+++EDIT+++
You have to consider, would they rather make the money off of you by buying their fish (that may even die, during the cycle) and replacement ones, than going to a grocery store and buying a cheap raw shrimp? LOL!
I was going to give the same link. You see we are not trying to sell you anything but your LFS is. They need to sell you something to stay in business. We are just trying to show you a humane way to cycle your tank because we care. I know of many on this site that are dedicated to this. What is the difference between decomposing fish waste and decomposing shrimp. Ammonia is ammonia.
roka64
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I agree totally! You could go scoop up fish poop from your LFS and even that will do the same thing.melosu58 said:
Here is another link:
http://www.fantasyreef.com/showthread.php?t=476
Heres a bit of info that might help clarify a couple of things... The LFS I called Im also good friends with. They are smaller stores with the exception of one. I didnt ask them about buying anything but rather told them what I was doing - in order to cycle the tank. They all had the same reaction - "You put a dead peice of shrimp to cycle your tank? Why? I have never heard of this". I truely believe they all have not.
I made the same comment that ammonia is ammonia -doesnt matter how you get there. I have mentioned numerous things that I have read/learned from this website to LFS as well as people in the hobby and they all have the same reactions sometimes.
One LFS told me while I was talking to them that the shrimp thing may work but the cycle will just take a lot longer...hummm....why would that be? Again the cycle doesnt know whether its a live fish or a dead shrimp!!!!
I made the same comment that ammonia is ammonia -doesnt matter how you get there. I have mentioned numerous things that I have read/learned from this website to LFS as well as people in the hobby and they all have the same reactions sometimes.
One LFS told me while I was talking to them that the shrimp thing may work but the cycle will just take a lot longer...hummm....why would that be? Again the cycle doesnt know whether its a live fish or a dead shrimp!!!!
roka64
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LOL! It sounds like they are just repeating what they were taught, maybe you could instruct them, that the fishless cycle is waaaaay more humane than throwing a poor, live fish into a sewage vat.
One of the guys asked me why I just didnt cycle it with a damsel. I told him I thought this was the wrong thing to do as you can do the same with a dead shrimp. I them followed it up with "call me a 6'2" 220 pound wuss...but I just didnt like the idea of putting anything alive in a tank to do this!!! I must admit I did cycle my main tank with 5 damsels before I heard about the fishless cycle and regret doing it. I just thought that was the only way.
roka64
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Yeah, I probably would have cycled the same way, just from not knowing. When I set up my tank, I just threw in sand and LR and let it sit for about6 weeks, taking my water to the LFS to test. When she told me I was good, I bought DAMSELS!?!?!? LOL! If I remember, I wanted them because they are hardy and I didn't want to kill any fish, now I like them and don't want to get rid of them! LOL!
Cycling with a piece of shrimp has been around for a long time. I would really be concerned with the fact they are so behind in the times that they have never heard of it. Any store owner is doing HIMSELF and his clientelle a disservice by not staying "up" on things. Makes you wonder if they know about cyanide caught fish vs net caught fish..and many other things.
ALong the same lines, I have mentioned to all 3 about hypo and 2 of the 3 had not heard about this either...I really think to them its a job and nothing more. Im like you guys that if I were in the aqua business, I would be reading and learning all the time.
Roka I also have a damsel in my main and I must say he is VERY easy to get along with. I have put new fish in there before and he just goes over to them as if to "sniff" them and then swims away!! Wish all damsels were like this!!
Roka I also have a damsel in my main and I must say he is VERY easy to get along with. I have put new fish in there before and he just goes over to them as if to "sniff" them and then swims away!! Wish all damsels were like this!!
Well I must say that one of the three has been in business for 10+ years and is very large. The other 2 are medium sized and have been around for about 5 years. I was espeically shocked at the large store not knowing about fishless cycling and hypo.
Unfortunately, it seems that most LFS would rather get a sale on $4 damsel then provide the correct information to cycle the tank the humane way. Most either don't know or don't care. I must admit, when I first got started in this hobby I did know know about fishless cycling and I did use guppies to originally cycle my first freshwater tank the LFS told me this was the only way
Can someone help me with the question I posted previously? Im in the midst of a cycle. I took the raw shrimp out like 1-2 weeks ago. There is still a small amt of ammonia in the tank. Do I need to "feed" the tank?
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