cycling... filter and heater are running now

[zacheyp]

i have a dead shrimp and nite out bacteria, what do i do now

 

[victor.m]

i have a dead shrimp and nite out bacteria, what do i do now

Now, good sir, you wait.

You will have to test your water every few days. First you should see a spike in Ammonia, then gradually the Ammonia will start going down to 0 and you will notice an increase in Nitrites, and then finally your nitrites will go down and you will notice an increase in Nitrates, and then it's time to do a partial water change to decrease that Nitrate level.

Ammonia and Nitrites are both deadly to fish and livestock, so nothing should be added until you reach the PWC. Nitrates are harmless but are "pollution" to your tank and cause things such as algae blooms and is also associated with poor water quality. Generally after your cycle you will want to keep up with PWC's and having good filtration systems in place to keep Nitrates down.

Hope this helps. The whole process can take 4-8 weeks, just be patient and test your water every few days to check for the levels.

- Vic

 

[zacheyp]

i forgot to get live rock and may not be able to get it for antother few days, is it safe to start the cycle without it, also which order should i put stuff in, shrimp bacteria, bacteria shrimp, or same time

 

[zacheyp]

please answer, i would like to start my cycle

 

[Rutrag]

I think you'll find that most people on these boards believe that any bacteria in a bottle (like the Nite Out) is snake oil. BUT if you have some faith in it, add it after the shrimp, although it doesn't really matter. In actuality, you're going to be adding them so close together from a biological standpoint, it's simultaneous anyway.