Raw shrimp or pure ammonia to cycle?

[severum mama]

I just got my 15 gallon nano running, and I am trying to decide how I will cycle it. For my FW tanks, I always just use old filter media to seed the new tanks, so I don't really have experience with a fishless cycle. I had planned on putting a raw shrimp in the nano to cycle it, but I am now considering the pure ammonia method because the tank is in my bedroom! My question is, is the raw shrimp method so disgusting that you can smell it outside the tank? I have to sleep in there, you know. Also, I've never cycled with pure ammonia- does anyone have a link that can tell me the right amount to put in the tank? I don't particularly care for guesswork. Thanks!

 

[tecwzrd]

Never cycled with pure ammonia either. IME using raw shrimp was not stinky. I'd use half a cocktail sized shrimp to cycle a 15 gal.

 

[roka64]

I agree, my 125 did not stink. I would go with the raw shrimp over the ammonia since I can't give any advice on how much ammonia to add. I also agree on the half shrimp in your tank. Some folks have stated they had the smell, but I didn't smell anything on mine.

 

[severum mama]

Awesome! Thanks Micah and Scott, you guys even answered the question I forgot to ask (how much shrimp to add)!!!

 

[roka64]

LOL! Glad we could help!

 

[melosu58]

Something else you could do in a tank that small would be to use a pinch of flake food. I definitely like the shrimp idea in bigger tanks but flake food will be OK in smaller tanks.

 

[roka64]

Something else you could do in a tank that small would be to use a pinch of flake food. I definitely like the shrimp idea in bigger tanks but flake food will be OK in smaller tanks.

Actually, that is a good idea Mike.

 

[severum mama]

You know, I tried that in my pico but I found that it was really messy once I actually got enough food in there to get an ammonia reading. The raw shrimp is in already... well, about half of it, anyway.

 

[melosu58]

That`s fine. Not trying to say to not use shrimp but as far as the flake it really dont need that much. Just a pinch of flake and wait. But if you have the shrimp go ahead and use it. We better see some pics once this tank gets going. LOL

 

[severum mama]

You know you will, I already have pics up lol!

I didn't have that result w/ flake food in my pico, so I used nls thera a large pellets. That worked, but it was a pain to vac out of the tank, post-cycle.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...
I didn't have that result w/ flake food in my pico, so I used nls thera a large pellets. That worked, but it was a pain to vac out of the tank, post-cycle.

Wait until you try to fish that piece of shrimp out! It may look solid, but just be warned that it's anything but!

But I agree with ya... I've cycled my QT with both shrimp and food. Even with the disintegrating shrimp, it was still cleaner in the end.

 

[ellisz]

THe ammonia would work and is cleaner. quite a few locals do it that way.

 

[severum mama]

Wait until you try to fish that piece of shrimp out! It may look solid, but just be warned that it's anything but!

I assumed... that's why I stuck it in a (new) knee high pantyhose, and tied a knot in it! I stuck the end of the pantyhose under the mounting leg for my light, so it's just kinda dangling in the tank. I won't even have to get my hand wet when I pull it out.

 

[roka64]

THe ammonia would work and is cleaner. quite a few locals do it that way.

I agree it would be cleaner. Now I am curious for future reference, how much ammonia per gallon do they use?