Cycling with live rock

[roka64]

Yep about 4-6 weeks is the average. My 125 took about 9 weeks, but I think it was because I didn't add enough raw, unseasoned jumbo shrimp. You want about 1 per 30G.

 

[cmor1701d]

What's your ammonia reading now? Mine went off the chart at 8+ (very dark green) and took about 5 weeks. Good luck with the cycle.

 

[catmel]

Ammonia is still very low after a week now ( looks like less than 0.25ppm still) At this point should I add a grocery store shrimp to get things moving along even with 60# of live rock ? I know it takes 4-6 weeks, but I thought i'd be seeing a bit more ammonia by now

Anyhow, ive noticed when I turned the lights on there's a lot of tiny white - almost look like microscopic ant type things swimming around. I imagine these are just some of the creatures off the live rock?

Speaking of which Ive noticed a bit more algae and color on my rocks after a week. very light purple in some spots and some green algae in places - not a lot, but just enough to notice color. Its not necessary to keep the lights on during the day cycling, right?

 

[CatatonicBug]

Anyhow, ive noticed when I turned the lights on there's a lot of tiny white - almost look like microscopic ant type things swimming around. I imagine these are just some of the creatures off the live rock?

Sea monkeys! (I know that's not what they are, but it sure sounds like them)

 

[cmor1701d]

Did you get fully cured LR? Sounds like you did f your ammonia is still that low and never went up. I would add 1 raw store shrimp to boost the ammonia level and kick start the cycle. Net it out after a week. That should create enough ammonia to grow a good colony of bacteria. When the ammonia and nitrites fall and the nitrates rise you'll know the cycle is near completion. Then you can do the large pwc. Give it another week to stabilize (and testing) and you add some livestock and a small clean up crew.

 

[catmel]

Maybe it was cured. I did find it odd it never went up even slightly high, just barely below 0.25ppm. I got 45 pounds of regular grade fiji rock from liveaquaria. Ammonia has not hardly risen at all. Just a curious question, would a small amount of raw fish work too instead of a shrimp? I just realized I had lots of it in the freezer ( unseasoned ) I hate to get a big pack of shrimp and use just one when both of us really dont like shrimp LOL.

It looks like too Im getting a bit of debris from the live rock when I used the turkey baster. Its making the sand look a bit dirty.. should I worry about this right now or just get it when I make the big water change at the end of the cycle?

any idea what those 'ants' are?

 

[cmor1701d]

I just buy a shrimp or two at the fish counter of the grovery store. It costs about 10 cents.

I would not worry about the debris just yet. You can vaccum it out when you do your PWC.

The liitle white things are probably some type of pods. Checkout Hitch Hiking Copepods, Isopods and Amphipods.