Another cycling question

[Jenni8675309]

So, I have been cycling the tank for about 3 weeks.
Fishless cycle, feeding flake food and have a raw shrimp. 41 gallon tank with sand & live cured rock.

The highest the ammonia reached was 1.0. The highest on nitrates was 10 & nitrites never raised. Is this normal because of the live rock?
I just did a test & everything is zero - the ammonia may be slightly above, but is not .25.

I think I will remove the shrimp & will do a small water change (thinking 20%) & see if that makes it zero.... Any thoughts?

I appreciate the input.

 

[Jenni8675309]

Anyone?

 

[TRDfan]

You do not need the shrimp or the fish food in there if you have live rock. The live rock with start and end the cycling process.

 

[Mpfaff77]

Once ammonia spike is there don't need shrimp anymore. I don't know if 1ppm of ammonia enough of a spike to get much bacteria in there. Not sure about that tho.

Mine was over 4ppm when I cycled. In addition to the shrimp I add few capfuls of liquid ammonia. I had no livestock at all. Not even crabs snails.