blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I just added 3 medium sized shrimp to my 55 gallon tank tonight. When should I start using my ammonium test kit?
Cycling With Shrimp
- Thread starter blackhorse
- Start date
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About the 3rd-5th day you should be getting a slight reading on nh3. Around the second/third week you should show a reading on no2.
Personally I wouldn't let your nh3 get above 4-5 ppm and remove one of the shrimp if it does to avoid a huge pwc when your nh3/no2 reach 0 ppm.
Keeping lights out during the cycle will help reduce your algae bloom from the excess nutrients as well.
Personally I wouldn't let your nh3 get above 4-5 ppm and remove one of the shrimp if it does to avoid a huge pwc when your nh3/no2 reach 0 ppm.
Keeping lights out during the cycle will help reduce your algae bloom from the excess nutrients as well.
blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Ok it's been about 1.5 days so far and my ammonia reading is 1 ppm. I think it's right on? The water is starting to cloud up. My wife is complaining about the bad smell.
IME it's unusual to get an nh3 reading so soon but it's possible. I agree if it's smelling already then it could be higher. nh3 test kits go bad also (typically after a year) so if you bought it at your lfs then it could have been on the shelf for a while.
Do you have good circulation in the tank during your cycle? How many raw shrimp did you use and what size are they? 2 large cocktail shrimp or 3 medium sized shrimp is more then enough to cycle a 55 gal and even then you may have to remove 1 once your nh3 spikes above 3 ppm.
Do you have good circulation in the tank during your cycle? How many raw shrimp did you use and what size are they? 2 large cocktail shrimp or 3 medium sized shrimp is more then enough to cycle a 55 gal and even then you may have to remove 1 once your nh3 spikes above 3 ppm.
blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I bought the test kit from Petsmart. The smell isn't as noticeable today. I put three small to medium shrimp in there. As far as circulation, I have a Odyssea CFS4 cannister filter. I read a couple of reviews of the filter and it seems to pump 160 gallons per hour. Without buying an additional ammonia test kit there is no way to know for sure if these readings are reliable?
Petsmart more then likely changes over stock fast enough so it should be an issue. IME when the nh3 test kit starts to go bad it will cloud up slightly instead of providing the correct color.
You need a lot more circulation then 160 gph in a 55 gal tank, closer to 800-1000 total gph is optimal. Is that your sole source for bio-filtration? Planning on getting lr?
You need a lot more circulation then 160 gph in a 55 gal tank, closer to 800-1000 total gph is optimal. Is that your sole source for bio-filtration? Planning on getting lr?
roka64
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Michah, blackhorse has another thread about it Here http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=99179.
blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
My temperature is reading 82.3. Too high? I have my heater set at 75. Should I just turn it down a bit?
blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
We have central air and it's 72 degrees in the room where the tank is. I haven't had the lights on at all. I lowered the temp on the heater to 72 about an hour ago and the water temp is slowly coming down. Maybe a bad heater? It is a 300w heater. Is this too big for a 55 gallon aquarium?
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
What brand heater? What type of thermometer?
I've found the heater temperature setting is rarely equal to the true temp when the thermostat will turn on and off. Heaters are consistent, but the temperature markings on them should probably only be used as a reference.
You might want to stick a second thermometer in just to give yourself two references, to make sure your first thermometer is being honest. Once you are comfortable that it's reading correctly, you can take the second out. I do that from time to time, just to make sure nothing is going funky on me.
I've found the heater temperature setting is rarely equal to the true temp when the thermostat will turn on and off. Heaters are consistent, but the temperature markings on them should probably only be used as a reference.
You might want to stick a second thermometer in just to give yourself two references, to make sure your first thermometer is being honest. Once you are comfortable that it's reading correctly, you can take the second out. I do that from time to time, just to make sure nothing is going funky on me.
A 150W-200W heater would have been plenty with central air/heat but the 300W just means it has to work less to heat the water. Dial it down till it's where you want it and see if it drifts from that point. If it drifts more the 2-3 degrees in a 24 hour period or you have to adjust more then once or twice a week I'd replace it.
blackhorse
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
800 to 1000 gph is what is recommended for a 55 gallon? Should I get two powerheads then? I was looking into the Hagen Aquaclear Ph's.
My temp went down to 79 since i lowered the heater to 72.
Should I have more than one cannister filter also?
Think I'll have to wait on the live rock for now. Didn't think all of this would be as expensive.
My temp went down to 79 since i lowered the heater to 72.
Should I have more than one cannister filter also?
Think I'll have to wait on the live rock for now. Didn't think all of this would be as expensive.
IMO a 15-20 times total tank turnover is optimal for good oxygen exchange and to keep the tank well circulated i.e. the 800-1000 total GPH figure. You want at least two PH in the 300+ GPH range like two Maxi-Jet 1200 or two Hydor Koralia Water Circulation Pumphttp://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15955&inm=1&N=2004+22788+2035 (2) like Scott had suggested on your other post.
One canister is more then enough and should only be used for circulation and infrequent chemical usage and cleaned weekly or every other week.
LR is one of the biggest expenses next to quality lighting and skimmer. I wouldn't wait too long, it's well worth the investment.
One canister is more then enough and should only be used for circulation and infrequent chemical usage and cleaned weekly or every other week.
LR is one of the biggest expenses next to quality lighting and skimmer. I wouldn't wait too long, it's well worth the investment.
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