not cycling

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tpaparazzo

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
87
Location
Hartford CT
Well I started my tank last friday...Its 75g and I purchased 50/lbs of base rock and 55lbs of live rock...It doesnt want to seem to start the cycle...I have had a little die off but not enought o start the ammonia increase..So I decided to throw 2 raw shrimp from the grocery store..Is this the right thing to do?? Should I have used two or just one??


Thanks

Tony
 
It could be possible that your LR was Cured mostly and there for there was no cycle.. I noticed this in my 55gal... There was a small ammonia and nitrite spike that lasted about 12hrs.. then it was done.. I added 2 perculas and continued to monitor and still nothing... I currently have a bubble coral, Leather, 2 percula's, and a yellow-tailed Damsel along with some odd hitchhiker corals.. I monitor the levels daily and so far a month into it and nothing

Ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate .02
po4 0
CA 440
Alk 3
ph 8.2

The people that I got the LR from stated that they have had cases where people order LR from them and Fully stock their tank the same day.. They advised not to do this but stated that people have without issues.. Continue to monitor your levels but just to let you know that strange things like my case can happen..

HTH,
James
 
I think 2 is fine for a 75. If you did not have an ammonia source to start your cycle then you probably wont see much of an ammonia increase untill you load the tank with an ammonia source.

If you used uncured live rock then you would not need the shrimp. If you used cured live rock then you probably would see very negiligable ammonia levels until an ammonia source was introduced.
 
One would probably have done it, but I don't think you'll get in trouble with two in there...that should get the cycle going for sure.
 
Im gonna merge this topic with another that appears to be started by the same user.

--Hope i dont lose any posts--
 
Let me ask you this dumb question..my liverock looks real good..colorful, some critters,etc...Is adding this shrimp going to absolutley kill all the good stuff on the rocks..Sorry I ahave never cycled a tank before
 
I personally use Seachem... I would either use Seachem or Salifert..

James
 
Last couple of questions....How long should I leave the shrimp in or should i just let it rot away..i took a test and I am seeing ammonia now...(its only been a day since i added the shrimp)...My skimmer is starting to pull out alot of stuff and its starting to smell...

So

1.Should Ipull out the shrimp?

2.Should I do water changes?

3.I leave the lights on around 10 hours a day is this ok?

4.When can i get some cleaner crews to get the sand cleaned up a litte..

Not in a rush..Just kind of calculating the future here

Thanks guys
 
Water changes= NO
Skimmer should not be on at this point Wait about 2 weeks
10 hours is ok.. Some ppl leave their lights off all the time while cycling
YOu can start your cleaning crew as soon as ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0 and you have stable water conditions.

YOu can pull the shrimp out now if you would like.. Make sure you monitor ammonia and nitrite at least weekly.. I tested Daily while my tank was cycling so that I could plot the progress..

HTH,
James
 
For number 3, I am of the understanding from this forum, that you should not use lights at all during cycling. During the cycle there are lots of Algea foods like Nitrate and such, you could possibly have a huge algea bloom by lighting your tank during the cycle. You dont want to let algea get a foot hold on your new tank! HTH
 
Thanks..THe problems is that I get so much conflicting answers on these..SOme people say to user the lights on during the cycle to make sure anything in and on the rock stay alive and some people say turn it off for the algae bloom..Then some poeple say use a protein skimmer during cycling and then some say dont..Very confusing 8O ...I am in the cycle now, I have been leaving my lights on and I am starting to see the brown algae so should I keep the lights off..What about the critters that survived in my liverock?

THanks guys
 
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