new tank set-up, live rock?

[dianeww]

Hi everyone, I love this forum and have been reading, reading, reading.

I have just put together a 75 gallon tank (10 days ago). I have a sand bottom and a couple of cocktail shrimp in there right now. I heard that's a good way to get the cycle going. But in retrospect, could I have started with just live rock? If I add some good live rock now, with the cycle going, will the ammonia and/or nitrites harm any hitchhikers that may come in? Do I have to wait until all the readings are back to zero to add the rock? Would it help to remove the partially decomposed shrimp?

I have a fluval 304 canister filter and two powerheads. Will be getting a protein skimmer.

Thanks for any and all input!

Diane

 

[EJS4]

You could have started with live rock, any die back would have started your cycle.
What are your water parameters?

 

[dianeww]

ammonia is .5 ppm, nitrite is .2 ppm, ph 8.2, no nitrate.

 

[Morticus]

Live rock would have helped kick off your cycle, but it most likely would kill some hitchhikers. If you get high quality live rock like liverocks.com after you cycle, then it shouldn't cause another cycle to start. Good luck.

 

[dianeww]

Thank you! I do plan to buy the rock from liverocks.com, and Zack there said I could probably just remove the rest of the shrimp and go with the rock in the readings I have now. Today the ammonia is down a speck and the nitrite up a speck (to 0.25). I really am concerned about killing the hitchhikers. If there is plenty of beneficial bacteria in the rock, should that keep things under control?