New tank cycle question

[Trigger780]

HI, Just got my tank setup, 70gallon, LIve rock added, approx, 80-90lbs... Liverock is cured, and just added 2days ago. Salinty 1.025, tempreture 26c.

Im just wondering if anybody still cycles there tank with a piece of raw uncooked shrimp?? Is this neccesarry, or beneficial?

[sgiordano]

Add a clown or damsel, but be careful they can survive cycling and then its really hard to get them out if you expected them to die! The shrimp will work, I also had a friend who urinated directly into his tank and it worked fine, however, I would recommend somthing more sanitary (alive) that you would like to have in your tank for awhile but dont mind losing because its so expensive...

[sdc19982002]

Oh boy, here we go...

[sgiordano]

Also, no offense implied, .com almost always means its an American site. We dont use centigrade often...what is the conversion formula out of curiosity?

[Trigger780]

Add a clown or damsel, but be careful they can survive cycling and then its really hard to get them out if you expected them to die! The shrimp will work, I also had a friend who urinated directly into his tank and it worked fine, however, I would recommend somthing more sanitary (alive) that you would like to have in your tank for awhile but dont mind losing because its so expensive...

I will not go the route of adding anything Live until the tank is cycled, DOnt want too stress or more likely kill the fish during the cycle period... LOL... I also dont feel like pulling a chair up too my tank so i can **** in it....:)

Oh boy, here we go...

??????? Is this one of those topics that get out of hand?.. Just courious If I should add a raw shrimp too cycle, Is it benficial, or harmful too the tank.. Will the tank cycle, naturally with the cured live rock being safe too add fish in a few weeks,

[bertoni]

[welcome]

If the live rock is truly live rock, the tank likely is ready to go. You could use a bit of fish food to test that. Just add a bit each day, and see whether the ammonia spikes. If not, you could add a small fish or two.

I would avoid adding damsels unless they were there for the long haul. They can be mean and hard to catch, and any fish can carry a disease.

[sdc19982002]

Yeh, it probably will with the add a damsel post. I'm glad to see you already know better.
The shrimp will work but your live rock being cured allrady will probablynot show much of a spike. Let others chime in here, I cycle mine a little different and your better off doing it the right way.

[Trigger780]

Thanks for the welcome.... I never thought of trying too add fish food too test, Ill give that a try. thank you guys for clarifying my question.

[Michael]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

If the live rock is truly live rock, the tank likely is ready to go. You could use a bit of fish food to test that. Just add a bit each day, and see whether the ammonia spikes. If not, you could add a small fish or two.

I would avoid adding damsels unless they were there for the long haul. They can be mean and hard to catch, and any fish can carry a disease.

+1 totally agree, i like the flake method, makes sence to me.

[Michael]

ive just notice the temperature you have, thats fine, i set mine for 25 c, i have a controller which switches heaters on at 24 and fans on at 26, 26 is fine, and welcome to the forum

[welcome]

[PRDubois]

Never Ever cycle with live fish!

Raw shrimp workes fine. put 3 of them in a nylon. That way it is easy to remove them once you get the amonia spike.

[gkb]

Thank you PRDubois. There is no reason to put a live animal into an environment which is known to be horrible, half expecting him/her to die.

[iap]

So once you see the ammonia spike you remove the nylon bag?

[bhammer]

So once you see the ammonia spike you remove the nylon bag?

That is the idea, but if you started with with actual Live Rock, you may never see a spike as the LR is doing its job.

[iap]

Ok. So I have my spike I'm going to remove the bag. Thanks.

[Monster00101]

I got my lr from a year old tank and i never seen any spikes at all.

[wooden_reefer]

Add a clown or damsel, but be careful they can survive cycling and then its really hard to get them out if you expected them to die! The shrimp will work, I also had a friend who urinated directly into his tank and it worked fine, however, I would recommend somthing more sanitary (alive) that you would like to have in your tank for awhile but dont mind losing because its so expensive...

There is no need to use damsel to cycle, period.

For someone who knows that alternate means of providing ammonia exist, it is hard to understand why a damsel is needed.

Just one damsel for a 70 gal tank does little.