growing lr

[mrg02d]

my statements come from people coming into my work a lfs and telling me and hmm if the shrimp is the only thing in the tank and it shows copper pretty much saying its the shrimp.. and so catfish is cleared for human consumption and you realize they eat everything i mean everything..
and yeah id actually eat mysis i have before didnt get sick or anything

Seriously...You cant go around believing everything you are told. Thats just not science, at all. Many of us here are either in various fields of science or have shown to highly appreciate the scientific method. You know that new people may be googling the process of cycling a fish tank, read something about shrimp being polluted, and then use that as an excuse to torture a damsel.

If you think about it, we all eat the same junk as everything else. Just because some catfish are polluted doesnt mean they all are.

You really shouldnt eat anymore mysis shrimp. It will wake you up at 4am for a date with the toilet.

Matt

 

[Hinds04]

I am just forwarding a quote taken from a link suggested to me by thincat. I doubt you would talk to him that way. Im just saying there are pros and cons to each method. I dont care about the "freswater mold" nor do I have the time to learn. Unless you are a microbiologist and can tell me (I would be happy to quickly learn) I would would put money on the fact that there may be a saltwater mold that thrives on a rotting saltwater shrimp that could cause problems for fish.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f45/next-step-in-setup-127577-2.html

link has been deleted but post ends check out this site

 

[Hinds04]

Seriously...You cant go around believing everything you are told. Thats just not science, at all. Many of us here are either in various fields of science or have shown to highly appreciate the scientific method. You know that new people may be googling the process of cycling a fish tank, read something about shrimp being polluted, and then use that as an excuse to torture a damsel.

If you think about it, we all eat the same junk as everything else. Just because some catfish are polluted doesnt mean they all are.

You really shouldnt eat anymore mysis shrimp. It will wake you up at 4am for a date with the toilet.

Matt

nobody said torture a damsel what was said is there are pros and cons to each. In fact I said "some people still"

 

[mrg02d]

I am just forwarding a quote taken from a link suggested to me by thincat. I doubt you would talk to him that way. Im just saying there are pros and cons to each method. I dont care about the "freswater mold" nor do I have the time to learn. Unless you are a microbiologist and can tell me (I would be happy to quickly learn) I would would put money on the fact that there may be a saltwater mold that thrives on a rotting saltwater shrimp that could cause problems for fish.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f45/next-step-in-setup-127577-2.html

link has been deleted but post ends check out this site

Why would I talk "that way" to Thincat? I believe that link shows him suggesting the raw shrimp method for cycling. You have me confused amigo.

Heres the deal...Many people here have very nice tanks and have had them for many years. They have never seen or heard of this possible shrimp fungus you speak of, nor any other poisons from the shrimp. While a slim chance exists, it is highly unlikely. I suggest you worry less about such things and more about enjoying the tank.

You guys arent using sound reasoning. Many things said defy my sense of logic, therefore I am out of this discussion.

Matt

 

[Hinds04]

I have taken no side to any method. Simply saying there are pros and cons to each. I don't know how else to say that. I put some very meaty live rock in my tank with some bacteria and it cycled in a week. Just out of curiosity for those of you that have used the shrimp method how long do you end up leaving it in? And for the op what would water condition be like after two weeks?

 

[ilostnemo]

you have a enclosed enviroment being your tank. so why put something in there you have no clue where its been?
and also mrg. im in science too

 

[Jimbo7]

Mupwi, I'm sorry your thread has turned into this. This will also be my last comment in this thread because at this point these two are just trolling IMO. Please open another thread if you have further questions on anything.

You two are still arguing this nonsense, and have yet to give any empirical evidence to show your point. I realize you are saying there are pros and cons to each side, but you haven't been able to prove any cons to the fishless cycle, which is why this thread has gone in this direction. If you honestly think that the shrimp will bring in rotten things, then don't use it. There are other methods of fishless cycling like using pure ammonia or large amounts of fish food. Frankly none of them risk contaminating a "enclosed environment" any more then adding a fish from your LFS. Even if you worked at your LFS for 40 years and trusted their systems and livestock, there is NO guarantee that contamination couldn't come in from the wholesale dealer, a returned item or even someones hand. Putting anything in your tank will come with a risk of contamination, I've just never ever heard of a shrimp doing that.

IMO you should never use a fish to cycle, there is absolutely no need when there are more viable and humane options.

Again Mupwi, very sorry that one of your first threads here has turned into this.

 

[mrg02d]

Mupwi, I'm sorry your thread has turned into this. This will also be my last comment in this thread because at this point these two are just trolling IMO. Please open another thread if you have further questions on anything.

You two are still arguing this nonsense, and have yet to give any empirical evidence to show your point. I realize you are saying there are pros and cons to each side, but you haven't been able to prove any cons to the fishless cycle, which is why this thread has gone in this direction. If you honestly think that the shrimp will bring in rotten things, then don't use it. There are other methods of fishless cycling like using pure ammonia or large amounts of fish food. Frankly none of them risk contaminating a "enclosed environment" any more then adding a fish from your LFS. Even if you worked at your LFS for 40 years and trusted their systems and livestock, there is NO guarantee that contamination couldn't come in from the wholesale dealer, a returned item or even someones hand. Putting anything in your tank will come with a risk of contamination, I've just never ever heard of a shrimp doing that.

IMO you should never use a fish to cycle, there is absolutely no need when there are more viable and humane options.

Again Mupwi, very sorry that one of your first threads here has turned into this.

+1!!!

 

[melosu58]

Ok folks. We have spent enough time on the best way to cycle. The OP can gather from what we have given him. This is a topic that we are all passionate about but lets help the OP get through his question. Cycling is something we could all talk about for a long time but the OP needs our help.

 

[HN1]

I may have missed it here since I only read the OP (I skimmed some others). If I understand the actual original question.... check out the threads here. Atlanta Reef Club Forums - Search Results. There should be pertinent information there.

If you are going to make your rock, I would not worry about cycling until your return or later. The rock will need to cure and that includes water changes.

 

[severum mama]

Welcome to AA!

If it were my tank, I would suggest starting the tank with a piece of raw shrimp (probably don't need the whole thing since your tank is only 20 gallons). You can leave the tank and it will just do its thing. If you throw some live rock in there with your base rock your tank should cycle pretty quickly.

I have used and recommended the raw shrimp method many times and it just doesn't get any easier IMO. The arguments I see here against cycling with a shrimp are not based in reality. You're going to come home to a pretty nasty looking tank, but it will probably be cycled by the time you get home and you can just do a big water change before stocking. If you have not done so already, I would suggest purchasing a test kit so you'll have an idea of how quickly your tank is cycling.