Cycling new tank

[Aztlan]

Hi guys, I dropped a couple of shrimp in my tank no Saturday. I will get my Live Rock delivered on Thursday. When should I buy my first couple of fish? I plan on putting them in my Quarantine tank. Should I wait until my main tank is cycled then drop sponge filter in for a few days.
Siphon some water from my main tank to my quarantine tank. Then move Sponge filter over. Then add a couple of fish to quarantine tank.Then quarantine fish for two weeks. Do I need to do anything to my main tank in the mean time? Water changes? Add food to create ammonia?

Thanks,
Rogelio

 

[Biggen]

When should I buy my first couple of fish?

Wait until your ammonia and nitrite drops to zero (get these test kits if you haven't done so already). Then do a large water change and you will be ready to add your first fish.

Should I wait until my main tank is cycled then drop sponge filter in for a few days.

You are talking about using the sponge filter on the QT right? You could put the sponge filter on the cycling tank at any time. Bacteria will colonize the sponge/pad as the tank cycles. Or you could wait till after the tank cycles. Doesn't really matter.

Then quarantine fish for two weeks.

Minimum of 3 weeks would be better. We have a great articles on QT'ing fish in our article section:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=17

Do I need to do anything to my main tank in the mean time? Water changes? Add food to create ammonia?

After your tank cycles you will need to add some food to the tank in order to "feed the bacteria" on the LR if you will be QT'ing your fish first. You only need to put a few pellets of food into the tank twice a week or so. It won't take much.

 

[Aztlan]

Cool thanks for the info. I have the test kits. When should my sand settle. It is so cloudy. Should I turn off my PH's during cycling?

 

[Biggen]

When should my sand settle.

Normally takes a few days, but it can take up to a week to finally settle out of the water.

Should I turn off my PH's during cycling?

Nope. Leave them on. Won't hurt anything, and the flow from the PH will move your sand around to its final resting place.

 

[Aztlan]

My dead shrimp are all over my tank. They act as if they are alive.
They are going around kicking up my sand. Every time a look at my tank they are at a different place in my tank. Visibility is pretty bad.

Should I stuff a marble or rock in them to stop them from moving around?

 

[wrkalot]

Fire up the barbie!

 

[Biggen]

Should I stuff a marble or rock in them to stop them from moving around?

If you have an ammonia reading now, you could actually take it out. Besides, you have uncured LR in the tank as well, correct? This will provide all the ammonia you need...

 

[Aztlan]

No Rock yet, Liverocks.com was out. Hopefully they will ship on Monday.
No Ammonia either just tested last night.