Cycleing with out fish, Questions

[fjmcm1947]

So how much meat do I throw in there will a chunk of balony work.

My tankis 56 gal I took some of the substate from my other tank and one of the canister filters from there also those have been good for several months my thought is it wont take long since I have pre colonized bacteria right? I will also put a emperor 280 from my other tank on the new one. What do you think or do I need to even bother with it and just put a couple fish in.

 

[thominil]

Something natural, not little bits of meat pushed together that didn't make the cut for USDA standards.....

Try getting 2 unseasoned raw jumbo shrimp from your local grocery store and stick those in a zip-loc bag, poke holes in the bag and stick it in the tank. Monitor the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Don't use the other tests as most of those params will be all over the place during the cycle. Watch for ammonia to turn to nitrites and as soon as there are no nitrites, your cycle is basically completed.

 

[fjmcm1947]

That's easy enough Thanks

 

[melosu58]

We do have a great article on cycling in our SW articles section.

 

[fjmcm1947]

Thanks Mike

 

[roka64]

I agree, I use 1 raw, unseasoned jumbo shrimp per 30 gallons to cycle my tanks.
Props for the more humane way to cycle a tank!

 

[fjmcm1947]

okay bought a pound of Pink Key West Shrimp put two large into tank and cooked the rest they are on ice in the refrigirator for a snack this evening, I took a good amount of substrate and spred it all over the new substrate my fluval 205 is full of good media from my other tank and I added a new fluval 305, so now we will see how long it takes, also bought a stick on amonia sensor.

 

[roka64]

Hmmm, you may want to look into the API saltmaster test kit. It should be around $15-20 and is a great kit for watching the cycle and future tests. I wouldn't worry about using the pH test yet, the cycle will have it all over the place until the tank settles in.

 

[fjmcm1947]

Yes I do have a kit API as a matter of fact, wonder how long it will take to see rise in amonia. this little stick on thing I got is showing a slight color change already, I will do a test later tonight. Thanks

 

[thincat]

So what are you going to do with the balogna?

 

[fjmcm1947]

I ate it last night , and just finished that chilled shrimp I bought today it was good

 

[fjmcm1947]

It has been 6 hours and I have .25 amonia and no nitrites. So if I had fish in there at this time I would do a 10% or so water change. I have to get a nitrate test kit tomorrow, so what do you think?

 

[thincat]

And the day after that and so on. When the ammonia starts to drop then the nitrites will start to raise and when that starts to fall your nitrates will start showing up. you can start to monitor the nitrates in a few days for pratice though it won't show up for a spell.
PS: that's the great benefit of using Jumbo shrimp.....the dip...

 

[fjmcm1947]

Thanks thincat, I got a little impatient with the shrimp and bought some clear amonia now I am 5ppm as of 8PM last night

 

[InfernoST]

So what are you going to do with the balogna?

I like mine on a roll with Mayo.

 

[fjmcm1947]

have you ever tried it with crunchy stile peanut butter, pretty good

 

[Flake]

ewwwww

 

[fjmcm1947]

Seven days ago I started to cycle my first fishless tank I took out the shrimp the first day next day bought some amonia put 1/2 cup in, it ran my amonia to 8 tonight 6 days later it is 0 but nitrite is spiking at 5 seems to me it could be ready by the end of the wk, two wks is pretty fast, but I did have two established filters 205 fluval and a emperor 280 and plenty of substrate, so far so good any suggestion are more then welcome.

 

[thominil]

IMO, you almost killed your established colony of bacteria, the highest they can live in is 8ppm of ammonia.... Add smaller amounts next time maybe enough to get you up to 1-2ppm and that's it. HTH.

 

[fjmcm1947]

That was higher then I expected