Cycle Help!!!!!??!!

[nanoreefsrcool]

i just set up a bc 14 ontuesday, i just had 16lbs of LR delivered yesterday and i was counting on the die off from shipping the Live rock would start my cycle but i dont think it has. i just tested my water today after adding the rock...

nitrates 10
nitrite 0
ammonia 0

should i add a deli shrimp or will it take more time to spike?


thanks
-jordan

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

??

 

[squiers007]

I would go ahead and add a shrimp. Leave it in there for a couple of days until is starts to get really nasty, then take it out and watch the ammonia begin to rise.

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

should i put it in something or can i add it right to the tank? also can i use a frozen cocktail shrimp or does have to be fresh? my last reef cycled with just Live Rock so im new to this.
thanks
-jordan

 

[lcstorc]

Add the shrimp.
It's not going to hurt and you will be sure to get the cycle kicked off.

 

[lcstorc]

Frozen is fine, but not cooked.
You can put it in a piece of netting for easy removal or just put it in the tank and let it completely decompose.

 

[TylerHaworth]

+1 for throwing in the shrimp!

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

its been 7 days since i set up the tank, i just tested my parameters...

nitrates 10
nitrite 0
ammionia 0


do u think im done my cycle?

 

[blue_eyes53813]

No Its not... Did you ever get an ammonia and nitrite reading?

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

i tested it on thursday then i went on vacation and i just get back today and its read 0 so im not sure if it ever spiked i think i might add the shrimp just to make sure it will spike, even if it is the second time probally wont hurt.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Thats exactly what I was gonna say... Add the shrimp and keep track of the cycle and how the tank handles the waste in the tank...

 

[ReefLady]

I would definitely add the raw shrimp, and make sure you get a healthy ammonia reading. Second time definitely would not hurt.

 

[BigAl07]

i tested it on thursday then i went on vacation and i just get back today and its read 0 so im not sure if it ever spiked i think i might add the shrimp just to make sure it will spike, even if it is the second time probally wont hurt.

I did exactly that with a previous tank and the 2nd time it DID spike but it didn't last very long so if you don't test every day or so you could miss it if the tank has already established a fairly healthy and robust bacteria colony. The good news is you can SEE the shrimp being broken down and use that as a visual indicator too.

 

[tatuvaaj]

You don't get nitrates unless the nitrification is working though

You will see a quick rise and typically even quicker fall of nitrites once the nitrification starts working. Many people don't even see this phase in a modern reef tank. After that you will typically see nitrates raising (no use measuring NO3 before you have zero ammonium and nitrite because they will mess up with NO3 measurement).

So IMO your nitrification side of nitrogen cycle is working, it will take considerably longer time to get denitrification going but you can add some hardy animals even if you have modest amount of nitrate.

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

so when i add the shrimp, do i take it out when it starts to decay or when the ammonia starts to rise?

thanks

 

[yungreefer2410]

i would just add one siziable raw shrimp and let it decay, this is how i have cycled all my tanks and i never had a
'mini' cycle

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

i added the shrimp, i have it a net so it doesnt shed in the tank. il test my parameters tommrow to see if anything has spiked.

thank you for all the help.

-jordan

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

i just tested my water today....

nitrite .25
ammonia .50

this is 2nd day with the shrimp, my tank is starting to smell so should i take it out now since my levels spiked?

thanks
-jordan

 

[nanoreefsrcool]

?

 

[BigAl07]

i just tested my water today....

nitrite .25
ammonia .50

this is 2nd day with the shrimp, my tank is starting to smell so should i take it out now since my levels spiked?

thanks
-jordan

Spiked? no don't take it out. That's telling you that it's working and you want to continue to FEED the cycle until the numbers FALL TO ZERO! That's when you can start thinking about your next step. This is the classic reason why you need to SEE the Cycle (on paper at least) so you know the tank has indeed gone through it. You'll need to test daily and as NH4 and NO2 start to drop your NO3 will start to rise. At some point the tank will find a balance and NH4 and NO2 will drop off the charts. THEN you can do a water change and go to the next step.

?

Jordan what's the "?" for?