Newbie cycling ???

[Jj49er]

Ok, so I did my cycle with the shrimp in mesh bag method I added 2 1/2 raw uncooked shrimp to the tank n I Didn't test the water the first week didn't have my test yet was waiting on delivery when I finally got it I've tested every other day n the ammonia didn't really rise above .50 if even that never saw any nitrite rise, I am back at 0 in ammonia n nitrite, the shrimp seem to be all gone the mesh bag is decomposing where the shrimp was all that left is mush... Now I have 100gal tank with 80lb live sand total sand is 140lb n about 25lb live rock total rock 50-60lbs... Is it possible tht my tank went thru a mini cycle n it ready for CUC to be added???? or why has no ammonia spike happen?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

You could try adding 5 drops of pure ammonia per 10 gallons. Test it about 30 minutes after just to get a reading to go by. Test the next day around a similar time and if its at zero, its probably cycled. If you still have ammonia readings then you are not cycled and you need to add ammonia everyday until you get 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a reading on nitrates. Here is how you can do it:

Using Pure Ammonia to Cycle the Aquarium
Instead of using fish food for ammonia production, you can introduce pure ammonia to the tank.

After the tank has been set up, add five drops of ammonia per ten gallons into the water on a daily basis.

Ammonia will rise to five ppm and higher. As soon as nitrites are measurable, reduce the ammonia input to three drops per day. Nitrites will rise to similar levels. Keep adding two to three drops until the measurements of ammonia and nitrites come out with zero ppm. The tank has then completely cycled.

Seeding the tank can significantly enhance this process. It is possible for a cycle to complete in seven days with seeding; otherwise this method takes two to three weeks.

The bacteria colonies produced using this method are large enough to handle a well-stocked aquarium.
Some aspects to consider
The tank has to be well oxygenated because the bacteria require oxygen.
The ammonia used should be free of any perfumes and additives.
Do not treat the water with conditioners that remove ammonia.

 

[Jj49er]

Oh ok I will try that, where can I get pure ammonia?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Oh ok I will try that, where can I get pure ammonia?

Most grocery stores. Just read the label and make sure there's no other things added like cleaners or fragrance.

 

[Jj49er]

Ok got it thanx will get some tonight

 

[Jj49er]

Did not find any ammonia at store didn't know that hard to find all I found was lemon scented n a white one at Walmart but had some chemical starting with "s"

 

[lakaiguy]

Yeah 100 gallon tank with just couple shrimp might not supply enough ammonia.

Try an Ace Hardware for ammonia

 

[Jj49er]

Oh so not alot of shrimp should I add more shrimp or ammonia better? N ok I will try ace tomorrow morning do u know the brand?

 

[scottayy]

Yeah I think it's very possible it's not enough for that much water. I used 2 1/2 silversides to cycle a 4 gallon lol. Granted, ammonia got very high!

I could never find pure ammonia either.

 

[Beengirl]

The only place I could find ammonia without surfactants was at Ace Hardware in the cleaning product aisle. I tried several other hardware stores, Walmart, a few other places. If you shake the bottle and it makes foam, there are surfactants and you can't use it in an aquarium.

 

[Beengirl]

Also, I would try the ammonia, it's a little quicker cuz you don't have to wait for the shrimp to rot. Smells a lot better too. Lol

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Also, I would try the ammonia, it's a little quicker cuz you don't have to wait for the shrimp to rot. Smells a lot better too. Lol

+1. I agree with Beengirl as I've done both. If you have a larger aquarium I would go with ammonia as well. I would also recommend documenting your readings so you have a starting point for not just ammonia but also nitrites and nitrates.