cycling ?. Please answer!

[jgross15656]

I added a couple of raw shrimp a few days ago and not much increase in ammonia yet ( .25). Just for fun, I measured the ammonia in my daughter's little tank (she has 2 feeder goldfish in it), and it is off the charts. Could I use some of the water from her tank to help me out a little or could I be introducing any bad stuff from it?
I was thinking that it sounded like a brilliant idea, any thoughts?

 

[jonboyb]

Did you use cured live rock and/or live sand when you set your tank up? If so, you may never see a big ammonia spike through the cycle. I kept a monster shrimp in mine for a week and hardly ever saw any ammonia/nitrItes.

 

[Tank2379]

I wouldn't add freshwater, it can lower your SG especially if your trying to get your water Parameters stabel... But it might not matter right now your in a cycle process How big it your tank? Depending on the size of your tank you might need more unless it less than 55g you would only need one Raw Shrimp.....

 

[jgross15656]

its a 75 gallon, and yes, I have 4o lbs live rock and 60 lbs live sand in it. Do I need my ammonia to hit a certain parameter, or is it just an increase then a decrease I am looking for? 3 days after I set up my tank ( no raw shrimp yet), I took a reading and the ammonia was .25 and everything else was 0. Readings since then were all 0.

 

[Ziggy953]

What you want to see is a spike in Ammonia. It doesn't have to be a high number. Following the ammonia spike you will see it drop off and a rise in NitrItes. Eventually ammonia will hit 0 and nitrites will also drop to 0. When those two reach 0 you should see a higher number for your NitrAtes. It is at this point that you are ready to start doing PWCs and adding your cleaning crew.

 

[Tank2379]

What you want to see is a spike in Ammonia. It doesn't have to be a high number. Following the ammonia spike you will see it drop off and a rise in NitrItes. Eventually ammonia will hit 0 and nitrites will also drop to 0. When those two reach 0 you should see a higher number for your NitrAtes. It is at this point that you are ready to start doing PWCs and adding your cleaning crew.

And that's the honest to god truth....

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Regarding adding water from the goldfish tank... the bacteria in FW and SW tanks are totally different beasts. Adding FW bacteria in a SW tank will do no good.

 

[roka64]

I could be wrong, but I think the OP was looking more to use the fw as an ammonia source. Kurt does bring up a valid point about the two different types of bacteria.
It sounds like the goldfish tank needs a PWC.....

 

[jgross15656]

one step ahead of you, roka64, I did a PWC right after! Though I have to admit, I was gritting my teeth while dumping all that ammonia-laden water!
Thanks everyone for the responses!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I could be wrong, but I think the OP was looking more to use the fw as an ammonia source. ...

Oh. Duh!

 

[roka64]

Oh. Duh!

Hey, just watchin your back!