New Need a little help

[Bags101]

I started a new 55 gallon tank 4 days ago and have a shrimp in there to see if it gets cycling. I am trying to do a fishless cycle. I have a piece of driftwood in there that I soaked for three weeks. It is now starting to get this white stringy cloudy film stuff on it. What is it and is it bad?

[librarygirl]

Nope, normal on new driftwood. It'll go away on its own in time. In the meantime you can just wipe it off.

[corinne118s]

Really..? I've never seen that on driftwood before. But anyways OP a few shrimp won't do much to cycle a 55g I'm afraid

[Mumma.of.two]

It's a fungus. Perfectly normal and harmless. You are using dead shrimp/prawns I'm assuming?

[Bags101]

Yes.. You dont think it will start to cycle? This is the readings I have so far. Not really sure if they are good or bad???

[Bags101]

This is the filter that is going. I dont turn the lights on and the temp is 82.
Thank you both for helping

[corinne118s]

Nice but your ammonia needs to get up to a certain point I think 4ppm. The cycle starte since you have nitrites and nitrates but it's not enough to support fish bioload. Can you clarify on the shrimp part? Live shrimp or dead?

[Bags101]

Oh yea sorry... It is a dead shrimp. Do you think I Should just go and buy some straight alcohol to boost it up?

[rotorhead22]

IMO you should add ammonia since it will be at at a known, controlled concentration unlike that of a decomposing shrimp. As for the alcohol, not good for the tank but you might enjoy it?

[Pton46]

Originally Posted by Bags101

This is the filter that is going. I dont turn the lights on and the temp is 82.
Thank you both for helping

Nice Filter

[corinne118s]

Maybe add more shrimp. I used the shrimp method so I know it works

[Bags101]

LOL... I meant ammonia. I will keep the alcohol for myself. Thanks for the help.

[Bags101]

(corinne118s) About how long did it take for your tank to be fully cycled using the shrimp way?

[corinne118s]

Originally Posted by Bags101

(corinne118s) About how long did it take for your tank to be fully cycled using the shrimp way?

Tbh I wasn't that religious with it. I just kind of added shrimp and took it out when it smelled disgusting an replaced it a day or two later. Put some fish food in to feed bacteria. Added small cuc near the end of the cycle. Probably took about 2-3 weeks although I waited over a month before adding fish just to make sure everything was stable.

[Bags101]

corinne118s- Thanks for the reply. I think I will add in a few more dead shrimp to see if that helps speed things up. I would be very pleased if it were done cycling in a month... What size tank do you have?

[corinne118s]

Originally Posted by Bags101

corinne118s- Thanks for the reply. I think I will add in a few more dead shrimp to see if that helps speed things up. I would be very pleased if it were done cycling in a month... What size tank do you have?

Mines only a 10g nano so it didn't take much to cycle it but the time varies a lot. I got lucky mine started it's cycle only 2 days after I set it up. Some people take over a month. Just need to have patience

[Bags101]

Do you think it started a little bit with the pics of the test results I posted yesterday???

[Bags101]

Just tested today again. I think I am going backwards????

[corinne118s]

Yes If you have any nitrites or nitrates the cycle has started. That's good now you hav no ammonia so now you add more and let it cycle again several times until the ammonia is converting to nitrate in 24 hrs

[Bags101]

I had to take out the rotting shrimp it was starting to smell really bad. I put 2 new ones in there, so now I have to wait for those to start decomposing.. I think I will just try putting in the pure ammonia. You think that would be quicker anyway?