90 gallon build

[Deejay62]

Hi reefers!
We have a cycling 90 gallons tank in process. We are cycling with shrimp. We set it up on March 16th and my shrimp has wasted to nothing. I have checked my parameters today: ammonia: .50ppm. Nitrites: .0ppm nitrates: 20ppm. What do you guys think, should I put more shrimp? I had 4 in a media bag.

 

[Macscale]

How high did the ammonia get?

 

[Deejay62]

How high did the ammonia get?

The highest we got was 1.00ppm.

 

[Macscale]

You need a bigger ammonia source. It needs to get up to like 4ppm. Try getting a pure ammonia.

 

[Deejay62]

You need a bigger ammonia source. It needs to get up to like 4ppm. Try getting a pure ammonia.

Wow, ok how do I know it's pure?

 

[hackteck]

Wow, ok how do I know it's pure?

it cant have any perfumes or surfactants if you have an ace hardware near buy they sell it there

 

[Deejay62]

it cant have any perfumes or surfactants if you have an ace hardware near buy they sell it there

Oh, ok. Yes there is an ace hardware near by. When I buy it, how much do I add to 90 gallons

 

[hackteck]

Oh, ok. Yes there is an ace hardware near by. When I buy it, how much do I add to 90 gallons

now that im not too sure on ive always ever used the shrimp method so you can try and google it or maybe another member can chime in

 

[Macscale]

I've never used the pure ammonia either, I know it works though.
I think Carey might know.

 

[Deejay62]

Is it because I used frozen shrimp instead of raw shrimp?

 

[Macscale]

No. Anything that can rot works.
Normally frozen shrimp hasn't been cooked, so it is raw.

 

[spoonman]

It will only take about a capful of pure ammonia to get to 4ppm. Just add little at a time til you get to 4ppm.

 

[Deejay62]

If I'm not able to get the ammonia, how many shrimp for cycling a 90 gallons should I put in?

 

[hackteck]

If I'm not able to get the ammonia, how many shrimp for cycling a 90 gallons should I put in?

i cycled my tank using this method i used 2 large shrimp and i have a 90G also

 

[Deejay62]

Ok, two it is! Here we go again! Hmmmm.......could it be that the reason it's taking so long to get a spike is that I am cycling with base rock 85lbs, 80lbs of dry sand and 10lbs of live sand?