cocktail shrimp?
- Thread starter pohtr
- Start date
acekjd83
Member
you dont have to use cocktail shrimp... you could just throw a pinch of flake food in the tank and it will do the same thing. you basically just want a little bit of nitrogen to be released into the water in the form of ammonia. one little cocktail shrimp is all you need, and it only has to be in there for a couple days, just enough to decompose a little.
pohtr
Member
I had used 1 large shrimp (2+") for about 2 weeks and nothing happened til the whole shrimp was gone. Then a few days ago I added 2 more shrimp (about 2 1/2") and now I'm waiting again for the ammonia to do something.
If the ammonia starts to rise should I remove the shrimp?
By the way I have only a little bit of LR & LS.
If the ammonia starts to rise should I remove the shrimp?
By the way I have only a little bit of LR & LS.
rubberduck
Active Member
OR...... you could just use LR and buy all you need during the cycle. thats best IMO
danielsen
New Member
I just took them out about 20 minutes ago. I got the ammoina spike after they where in there for 5 days. but I also have some live rock only 10 lbs. and for a 72 gallon tank that is nothing. :jumping: The shrimp real seamed to work for me. I tried using the powder cycle starter and it did nothing. That is way I went with the shrimp. Good Luck.
masala4080
Member
pohtr - Some people take the shrimp out when they see an ammonia spike, some people keep them in for the whole cycle. Its up to you. Also, you should have about 3 or 4 shrimp in there, not one.
pohtr
Member
I finally took out my 2 stinky shrimp since I had gone through emptying the tank (into barrels in the liv rm) for a plumbing problem (different thread), and the water was getting stinky (as was the livingroom), I figured something was happening. Anyway I still have had NO ammonia rise at all but the nitrite was at .5 and the nitrate was at 10 as of yesterday. I guess then the ammonia rise can be so quick as to not get noticed or maybe too small to register?
I AM cycling now, right?
Or should I put the shrimp back in? (I saved them in a ziplock just in case...labled "rotten", and stuck them in the freezer... lol)
I AM cycling now, right?
Or should I put the shrimp back in? (I saved them in a ziplock just in case...labled "rotten", and stuck them in the freezer... lol)
acekjd83
Member
since the ammonia is converted to nitrite then to nitrate, you'll actually see three separate peaks, possibly so close together (if there are lots of bacteria to quickly convert these compounds) that there is no measurable "cycle". it is best, however to leave a small amount of shrimp in the tank, to keep the "cycle" going, since bacteria have to eat too!
pohtr
Member
Do you mean to always have a little piece of shrimp in there? Or just when you're establishing a new tank before any fish go in?
My nitrites are on the way back down so wouldn't I start another cycle if I put shrimp (even a little) back in? Nitrates are still at 10.
I think I'm confused.
My nitrites are on the way back down so wouldn't I start another cycle if I put shrimp (even a little) back in? Nitrates are still at 10.
I think I'm confused.
acekjd83
Member
no you dont leave shrimp in there forever... its just to act as an ammonia source until fish or corals or whatever are introduced.
Nitrates are the end-product of the nitrogen cycle, so they will keep building up as long as there is no algae, plants, water changes, carbon or protein skimmer in the tank. there is no "starting a new cycle", since it never ended... the bacteria will consume the ammonia, then the nitrites and you'll just get more nitrates. you may get more spikes in the nutrient levels, but only if a lot of waste is introduced at once.