75 gallon cycle log

[orandafan12]

First day i setup i put 1 ppm of ammonia. It was able to convert it in 4 days.
Ammo 0ppm
Nitrites0ppm
Nitrates 10 ppm
Ill post tomorrow. I just put about 2-3 ppm. I seeded the filter.

 

[orandafan12]

Day 2
Ammo 4 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates10 ppm
Ph not tested

 

[abrahamavelar]

cool keep it going!!!!! r u doing fishless cycle???? if u do just buy 3 raw shrimp and it will help to speed up the process

 

[librarygirl]

I think the OP is using ammonia, so s/he wouldn't need the raw shrimp (which can get messy and smelly from what I've heard lol).

 

[orandafan12]

Yeah ive done this before. But not with the shrimp. How does the shrimp speed it up?

 

[abrahamavelar]

well it depends on the size of the tank i did it with my 75 gal and i had 2 power heads a\running at the same time and i had no problems they got moldy with in 3 days and by the end of the 2 week there was no shrimp left but no smell

 

[abrahamavelar]

u get bacteria faster due that it decomposes the shrimp

 

[orandafan12]

Ill try but the thing is um going to have to empty the tank because its leaning forward so im getting a new stand. But i might finish the cycle dirst. Its a 75 gallon. Do i just throw them in there or do i put em in a net or something

 

[abrahamavelar]

i just threw them in there or u can put then in a net its up to u but thats wat i just did i just dumped them there

 

[orandafan12]

Can you appoximate how long your 75 gallon cycle took

 

[abrahamavelar]

well mine took between 2 1/2 to 3 weeks but u gotta check ur parameters daily or atleast every other day also if u have or u can get an old filter media form a thank thats running from a good lfs u can seed ur tank and speed it up or u can use some substrate from them or any running tank that u might have

 

[eco23]

If you're using ammonia you don't need shrimp. Using shrimp is just an ammonia substitute since it leeches it as it decomposes. There aren't any additional benefits to using it compared to the bottle. There are also risks of different molds and fungi using them. If you've got pure ammonia...save the shrimp for dinner.

 

[abrahamavelar]

true!!!! but also it depends on the brand of ammonia that u r getting cuz sometimes the amonia in the bottle might be half dead or pretty much all dead due that it doesnt have any way of feeding itself

 

[abrahamavelar]

well atleast thats what i have been told and ive read in AA

 

[eco23]

true!!!! but also it depends on the brand of ammonia that u r getting cuz sometimes the amonia in the bottle might be half dead or pretty much all dead due that it doesnt have any way of feeding itself

Ammonia isn't alive. It's a chemical. You might be thinking of bottled bacteria.

 

[abrahamavelar]

yeah sorry i got confused!!!!!!

 

[orandafan12]

Hope it gets done soon. I want to put some tiger oscars in there. Also put a new stand under it.

 

[orandafan12]

Heres another factor. The guy i bought the tank from had the tabk already cycle. He kept the gravel wet when i took it home. Would the bacteria still be alive?

 

[abrahamavelar]

Yes but still u might get mini cyckes due that u r gonna refill the tank all over again

 

[eco23]

Heres another factor. The guy i bought the tank from had the tabk already cycle. He kept the gravel wet when i took it home. Would the bacteria still be alive?

I personally don't hold much faith in substrate as a bacteria source. I view it more as a way of "seeding" by adding the bacteria to the tank...but not a way to bring over any substantial colony capable of causing decent conversion. For example, I've switched out every single speck of gravel in a tank and replaced it with sand...and never had a hint of a toxin spike. On the other hand, I've given friends pieces of filter media and had a mini-cycle. So it shows you how much bacteria is in the filter compared to the substrate.

Since you've got other tanks (right?) I'd donate pieces of filter media from them personally. That's the best form of cycling...seeded filter media is like gold.