A newb question here:
Whenever anyone refers to doing a fishless cycle for SW, they seem to be referring to the dead shrimp method. However, as I'm learing about SW filter methods, it seems to me using uncured LR in your initial setup will provide enough die-off to get the bacteria going. Maybe this wouldn't great as big a spike and thus bacteria pop size than the dead shrimp, but as long as you add fish/inverts slowly enough, it seems to me you wouldn't need to do an additional dead shrimp cycle. Am I missing something?
Related questions:
If you start with enough cured LR and then add fish/inverst slowly, isn't it possible you would you never even see ammo/nitrite spikes (depending on how long secondary shipping took from the curing tank)? The existing bacteria on the LR would be able to filter the slowly increasing waste levels. Is it better for your tank to start with uncured LR and observe the cycle, or start with cured LR and assume you have at least a small filter already up and running (ignoring time or money differences)?
Thanks for your advice.
Ryan
Whenever anyone refers to doing a fishless cycle for SW, they seem to be referring to the dead shrimp method. However, as I'm learing about SW filter methods, it seems to me using uncured LR in your initial setup will provide enough die-off to get the bacteria going. Maybe this wouldn't great as big a spike and thus bacteria pop size than the dead shrimp, but as long as you add fish/inverts slowly enough, it seems to me you wouldn't need to do an additional dead shrimp cycle. Am I missing something?
Related questions:
If you start with enough cured LR and then add fish/inverst slowly, isn't it possible you would you never even see ammo/nitrite spikes (depending on how long secondary shipping took from the curing tank)? The existing bacteria on the LR would be able to filter the slowly increasing waste levels. Is it better for your tank to start with uncured LR and observe the cycle, or start with cured LR and assume you have at least a small filter already up and running (ignoring time or money differences)?
Thanks for your advice.
Ryan