Cycling

[kwandrsn]

Ok tanks might just do shrimp how many shrimp should i use?

What size tank is it?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

My QT is a 40 and my maine is a 110 with 55 sump

 

[kwandrsn]

My QT is a 40 and my maine is a 110 with 55 sump

You are trying to cycle all of them?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Yes qt is a seprate system so one system is total 40 and the other around 160

 

[kwandrsn]

40 I would do one 55 one
110 maybe 2 as the shrimp breaks down it will start to produce ammonia. Do you know how the nitrite cycle works?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Its ammonia>nitrite>nitrate

 

[kwandrsn]

Yes qt is a seprate system so one system is total 40 and the other around 160

Ok well I would do 2 in the main system. The qt personally I would use water from the main system and a hob filter with seeded media from the display usually you don't want substrate on a qt tank

 

[kwandrsn]

Its ammonia>nitrite>nitrate

Yep your ammonia will spike then nitrites then nitrates when the ammonia and nitrite is 0 again you should be cycled

 

[kwandrsn]

How I would do the qt tank personally is I would cycle my tank and put a extra hob filter on it with a fiber filter so it starts seeding then when you want to setup qt use display water and the extra hob

 

[Beengirl]

Thats the one i bought and whats a good test kit i can buy one tomorrow

That's the right kind of ammonia, if you go that route. I used that in one tank, and it smells better IMO than the shrimp cycling. How big is the tank? It doesn't take much. In my 30g, I put less than a capful in. Then let it mix up about an hour and test ammonia level. It should be up to at least 4 ppm. If its not, add a little more and repeat test. Do this till it gets up to 4ppm. The good thing about the ammonia IMO is that you don't have to wait for the shrimp to rot and make a decent amount of ammonia. Also, you can make sure that your ammonia level gets high enough to support some fish after the cycle. Then test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate every day. When the ammonia gets down to zero, dose it back up to 4 while you wait for the nitrites to decrease. That will keep feeding the ammonia-eating bacteria so they don't die during the wait. After a short while, you'll notice that the ammonia will be zero every day, even though you've dosed with minis. That's a good thing, means your BB are strong enough to handle a decent bio-load.

 

[kwandrsn]

That's the right kind of ammonia, if you go that route. I used that in one tank, and it smells better IMO than the shrimp cycling. How big is the tank? It doesn't take much. In my 30g, I put less than a capful in. Then let it mix up about an hour and test ammonia level. It should be up to at least 4 ppm. If its not, add a little more and repeat test. Do this till it gets up to 4ppm. The good thing about the ammonia IMO is that you don't have to wait for the shrimp to rot and make a decent amount of ammonia. Also, you can make sure that your ammonia level gets high enough to support some fish after the cycle. Then test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate every day. When the ammonia gets down to zero, dose it back up to 4 while you wait for the nitrites to decrease. That will keep feeding the ammonia-eating bacteria so they don't die during the wait. After a short while, you'll notice that the ammonia will be zero every day, even though you've dosed with minis. That's a good thing, means your BB are strong enough to handle a decent bio-load.

+1 beengirl

 

[San Raphael Catfish]

I am currently cycling with creamcicle mollies. I have always heard that mollies do better in saltwater than fresh or brackish. They are turning out beautiful.

 

[Beengirl]

I am currently cycling with creamcicle mollies. I have always heard that mollies do better in saltwater than fresh or brackish. They are turning out beautiful.

They are beautiful, but probably don't feel too beautiful while the ammonia burns their skin and gills and nitrites make it difficult to breathe.

 

[molliwopp]

Yes qt is a seprate system so one system is total 40 and the other around 160

Im sorry but you are asking for trouble and alot of work setting up salt water tanks of 40 gallons and 110 gallons with a 55 sump when you dont even know and understand the nitrogen cycle fully, to me thats just Crazy.

 

[Convict2161]

Im sorry but you are asking for trouble and alot of work setting up salt water tanks of 40 gallons and 110 gallons with a 55 sump when you dont even know and understand the nitrogen cycle fully, to me thats just Crazy.

Like what kind of trouble? That's why they are here, to learn. I think you'll be fine if you take the advice given and give everything time. Don't rush anything.

The bigger the tank the better, more room for error. Everything is gonna take time. Keep asking questions and stay focused at the task at hand and you'll do ok.

We all start somewhere.

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Thanks so as aoon as it hits 0 the first time dose it again?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Thanks i believe im not getting in trouble when i got all this advice and as soon as ammonia hits 0 the first time dose it again right?

 

[kwandrsn]

Thanks so as aoon as it hits 0 the first time dose it again?

Your ammonia will spike then out start creating nitrite then your nitrite will spike then out will go away. Google aquarium nitrogen cycle and it will explain

Ammonia turns to nitrite then
Nitrite turns to nitrate

 

[molliwopp]

Yes we all start somewhere and Bigger tanks are more forgiving on water quality issue.. Setting up practically 3 large salt water tanks at once is going to hard for anyone. Any work carried out is going to take twice as long by a beginner. I stand by my statement and wouldnt recommend starting the hobby with a 110gallon, a 55gallon and a 40 gallon to anyone.

On the contrary i DO wish you the best of luck despite how it may sound.

 

[kwandrsn]

Yes we all start somewhere and Bigger tanks are more forgiving on water quality issue.. Setting up practically 3 large salt water tanks at once is going to hard for anyone. Any work carried out is going to take twice as long by a beginner. I stand by my statement and wouldnt recommend starting the hobby with a 110gallon, a 55gallon and a 40 gallon to anyone.

+1 I have had freshwater tanks off and on my whole life. I am currently cycling a 36 gallon salt tank. its a lot of work. I can't even imagine mixing water for that large of a system.