The Shrimp Cycle

[FynFysh818]

Hi all,

I am currently cycling my tank with a shrimp. The only change I have seen with the shrimp...is that the shell is thinner now then when i put it in the tank last night. How do I know, besides doing the water testing, if the shrimp is actually cycling the tank?

[youronlysin]

I think your supposed to use a peeled fresh shrimp????

[RMPD109]

If the shrimp is in there it is helping. As it decomposes it will produce the necessary ammonia needed to start the cycle. Keep an eye on water parameters. You will see that ammonia spike then the quick /short nitrate spike and a level off of nitrates.

[WhiteCloud]

I threw my shrimp in on Sunday (after an odd look from the seafood clerk when I asked for 1 raw shrimp for an aquarium). Today (Tuesday...2 days later) I have an ammonia of 1pmm (this is the only time I will say YEAH to that)

No Nitrites, no Nitrates yet....so I am still in the very beginning of my cycle. I am going to put in some sand from an established tank and some established ceramic bio media from a friends tank in the tank tomorrow...but I wanted to make sure I had an ammonia reading before doing so. I am hoping this will speed the cycle along.

Some other things I have heard to speed up your cycle:
1. Do not turn on the Actinic lights...I hear they can slow bacteria growth from the near UV light it gives off
2. Minimize use of Protein Skimmer...It can skim the shrimp breakdown product before it can be converted into ammonia
3. Seed the tank with sand and or bio-media from an established tank.

There are also some products you can buy (Bio-Spira)..which can speed things up. I have not used it...and I am not in that much of a rush....I can wait for nature to take it's course.

Hope this helps! Keep us updated on your tank's water parameters!

WC

P.S. Also your water will smell a little "skanky" in a few days...as my wife informed me today (tank is near her computer)

[WhiteCloud]

Oops...I did not peel the shrimp?

I thought it would be easier to take out with the shell. I do not look at it...as it is housed in a Pineapple Under the Sea...Pineapple House is only there for cycling purpose..as not to gross out anyone who happens to be looking.

Do you have to peel it?


WC

[Petey]

I just finished my cycle with shrimp. I put the shrimp in Friday night and tuesday it's good to go. I don't think it should matter if you peel it or not, mine (2) were not and the shrimp disintegrated into nothing. So all in all my cycle took 4 days with 2 shrimp in a 40g tank. Once your ammonia starts to rise the rest will follow.

Keep the faith in the shrimp!

[Salttanker]

There are also some products you can buy (Bio-Spira)..which can speed things up.

Don't waste time with these products. The shrimp is probably the fastest way, besides lr, to cycle a tank. Peeled or unpeeled shouldn't make a difference.
Petey - I would do a large water change and check your parameters within 24-48 hours. 4 days is pretty short for a cycle.

Mike

[FynFysh818]

how long does the shrimp cycle take?

is it ok that i have my protein skimmer on and running?

i am also not keeping the lights on, is that ok too?

[casper3t]

i have a 1 gallon tank and my ammonia level is really high for the past 2 days, i haven't seen it drop yet... should i take out the shrimp? i only used like a 1/4 of the shrimp too.

i'm using the aquarium pharmaceuticals ammonia test... and the chemical turns blue... is it really off the charts?

[IfoundNemo]

WhiteCloud
You do not need to peel the shrimp. The shrimp will completely disolves as your tank goes through the cycle process.

FynFysh818
The cycle process takes about 3- 4 weeks to complete, some tank take even longer.
You can run your skimmer, but there is nothing in your tank for it to produce skimate since the tank is new.
Keep the lights off during cycling is a good idea.

caspert3t
1gal tank? 8O Keep the shrimp in and let it do the job. Your amonia should be in the yellow area... blue means it is way off the chart.

[BillyZ]

WhiteCloud: "don't turn on actinics" this is the first I've heard that... not sure if I buy it. Your other two points on keeping the skimmer off and seeding the tank with LS/LR from an established tank are spot on.

Caspert3t: Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com a 1 gallon tank? thats quite small. you VERY likely have ammonia off the chart even with just a small piece of shrimp. IMO, I would change out 1 cup of water a day until the ammonia gets to a readable level. TOO high of an ammonia level I think would keep anything from getting a foot hold in the system.

FynFysh818: It can take anywhere from 1 week to 4 weeks. There are a lot of unknown factors involved. I think a lot of them have to do with the tank, the water temperature, salinity and even the shrimp itself. Some shrimp may "come with" more bacteria already and speed things up... just theories of mine anyway hang in there, it all happens naturally and will finish when it's ready. be pateint

[Phyl]

be pateint

... because nothing good happens fast in this hobby

[WhiteCloud]

Thanks!! I just learned first hand about the dissolving shrimp.....it now looks like some kind of primordial goo!

Looks like my tank is nearing the end of the cycle....I this morning I had no algae, and I came home from work....I have algae growing and the water became crystal clear. I had seeded the tank with used biomedia and sand from an established tank...so I would expect this to move right along!

I will be testing my parameters tonight...yeah! Looks like I will order my live rock next week!

WC