SHRIMP TO SET CYCLE???

[squareferrin]

Of course all of us newcomers want to start yesterday, but most have sence to read and listen to others. I see some reference to using shrimp from a store to start the cycle, most people tell me to buy some hardy fish? Lets do this right, explain the SHRIMP thing to me.
Here is my setup.
130 gal. tank---Fluval 404 filter---one 18 in airstone---Crushed OYSTER SHELLS substrate---a few rocks and decorative coral.
It seems that reading books often leads me in two or three different directions, and of course, advice is plentiful out there. Your experience is what I hope to move me along on the right path here. I need to learn to do this, so I can FIX the tank at my Wife's office where a "PROFESSIONAL" has had no luck. I already learned a lot of problems, like hands in tank with lotion, no real flow of water, or oxegenation, and poor maintenance. HELP-P--P <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" /> <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />
OKAY I have CRUSHED OYSTER SHELLS as a substrate, to save money, and yet make my ECO SYSTEM more productive, would it help to add some LIVE SAND on top. Total change is out of the question, just too expensive.... <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />

 

[devante]

First off welcome to the board. Using shrimp to cycle a tank is just one way of saving a fish from the harsh conditions of the cycle and then throwing him away.

 

[sinner's girl]

"lets do this right, explain the SHRIMP thing to me."
sure, go to a store (wal-mart for example) ask them if you could have a couple little shrimp (they may give them to you, rather then charge you .05 cents).
put the shrimp in your tank...let it cycle = lost life.
you could use lr or ls also.
We used damsels only b/c we didn't know about using shrimp, next time I will use shrimp.

 

[jeo]

so do you just leave the shrimp in there or take them out once the ammonia goes down?

 

[jakob4001]

in a large system like that, you could leave the shrimp in there to fully decay; in smaller system you ma want to remove them after a week or so; this will help speed up the cycling process of your tank; you will have to perform weekly water test; you should notice that your tank has cycle in that the amonia should start off higher at some point, then drop off some w/ then your nitrites being noticably higher, then finally your nitrites should drop off w/ your nitrates becoming higher; at some point your trates should drop down as well indicating that your tank has completed it's cycle; varies in time from tank to tank & of course whom you ask & believe; depending on the size of the tank, it may average a month or so; the longer you wait, the better though...
you may find that decorative coral will increase the maintance being you will probably regulary have to clean it; crushed oyster shell may add to a chemical build up; more frequent water changes & cleaning of the substrate may be needed to keep thing in balance

 

[musipilot]

Heres my two cents...if you can, skip the substrate and do a live sand bed. This will act as a natural biological filter, which your Fluval will not be up to the task to. The fluval is a great filter for mechanical filtration (removing particles from the water) and for moving water around, but its not the best at chemical filtration. The deep live sand bed will help with your biological filtration. I also would suggest adding a powerhead or two to your list of equipment, you're going to want that water moving around. In a tank your size, two small shrimp will simply disappear after a little while, don't worry about removing them.
Good luck!

 

[cwfish]

I would agree that you need a little more water movement in there. The Fluval 404 cannot provide filtration for a 130 gallon tank. You could add another one or a small wet/dry in addition to help the situation. A powerhead or 2 would help move the water around to get rid of the dead spots as well. Good luck with this tank and the one at work.

 

[diatom]

SQUAREFERRIN~
Since you are just getting started this would be the perfect time to make some changes.
Pull out that crushed oyster shell and get some oolitic sand. Get enough to put down about 5 inches in the bottom of your tank.
If money is a problem you can collect your own sand here:
<a href="http://www.ugs.state.ut.us/utahgeo/rockmineral/collecting/oolitic.htm" target="_blank">http://www.ugs.state.ut.us/utahgeo/rockmineral/collecting/oolitic.htm</a>
Then if it was me I'd buy some nice raw uncured live rock and let it cure in the tank. It will stink pretty good for a while but will populate the sand bed with some good critters and turn it into love sand.
Chuck that airstone and set up a nice sump under the tank you'll be happy you did eventually. You can use the fluval for the occasional polishing and to run some carbon though if needed.
Take you time and do things right and it will save frustration and money later on.

 

[fshhub]

there is nothing wrong, with cycling with shrimp,a nd i cannot see how it is lost life, you use grocery shrimp, not live ones, throw them in a and let them decay
lr is another option as well
converting to sand would not be abad idea, especially this early in the game, and sand can be much cheaper than crushed anything, it doesnot have to be live sand, it cna be most play sands, the 55 i am doing at work, cost me a little ove 10 dollars for enough sand to do it and a 29, with a little left over
<a href="http://home.gardenet.co.za/landman/Starting%20with%20Marines.htm" target="_blank">read this thread</a>

 

[rane]

SQUAREFERRIN
I cycled my tank with 3 pieces of jumbo shrimp and left them in there till they decayed and dissappered it works great..as far as filtration i would sugest 2 fluval 404 since one only does 70 gallons i too have 2 fluval for mine and i will be aadding a wet/dry next week that i picke dup on e-bay...just my 2 cents in everyones quater