Cooked or Uncooked Shrimp Cycling

[edpete97]

It's been two weeks. I did the fish thing, but one of these posts, I believe is absolutely correct. I used some good live sand and some fully cured rock and nothing really cycled. I used the shrimp, and it totally disappeared. IT's gone. During that time, my levels only slightly changed, I still haven't had any ammonia. Nitrites are nil. Nitrates are 25. I'm going to go ahead and take a sample of my water to the LFS today and get a shrimp or two and maybe a fish or two. I'll keep you posted.
Erik

 

[hagfish]

2 weeks since you started your cycle? If so, I would wait 2 more. Not seeing evidence of a cycle isn't necessarily a good thing. It could just mean that your cycle hasn't started yet. Or that it hasn't spiked yet.
If you do get fish, get a really hardy one. And I would only get one. I wouldn't get a shrimp yet. Two times I have added shrimp almost immediately after a cycle. Both times they died. In both cases I tried later and it was fine. There is a lot of instability right after a cycle. So you still have to take it slow.

 

[edpete97]

Well, I didn't see your post until after I went to the LFS. I took a water sample in to the LFS and they said I was ready to go. They gave me two Perc Clowns, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp, 4 snails, and 5 small hermit crabs. All seem to be doing well after acclimation (drip method). Any thoughts from anyone? Too much? Too little? LFS hasn't steered me wrong so far.
Erik

 

[puffer32]

You should be ok, as long as your tank is truely finished cycling.

 

[edpete97]

If it's not, how and when will it be apparent? I've got some brown algae going on in the tank too. Will the snails and crabs take care of it?

 

[puffer32]

If you have trates but no ammo or trites, then you probably did cycle, you will know if you didn't cause your ammon will spike. An algae bloom is normal in a new tank, your cleanup crew will take care of most of it.