Could it be possible my tank has cycled in 7 days?

[turningtim]

For a new tank I would expect to see something in the way of readings. If the cycling has been complete wouldn't you see trates?
I would leave the shrimp in there untiul you see something. If its trates then great but zeros across the board just doesn't make sense to me.
JMO
Tim

 

[spartanph]

Ammonia is still 0. I'm starting to see brown algae on the CC, live rock, heater and glass.

 

[spartanph]

48 hours after dropping in the shrimp.
Tested water. Salinity 1.024. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, pH 8.2-8.4.
Water temp is 78.
The Nitrate test may have had the slightest bit of color but not much. I'm using the FasTest kits.
Does anyone think I can add the cleaning crew if the levels are the same tomorrow?

 

[rabbit]

I would go ahead and add your crew if your levels are the same tomorrow. If you had good LR and substrate, you should be good to go, you will get some brown algae, but eventually after some water changes and your crew cleanin', it will go away.

 

[saltwater8]

Ok, serious question.... (ok, they all are...lol)
Do you need the shrimp if you are using live sand and live rock to cycle your tank?

 

[chipmaker]

Originally Posted by Saltwater8
Ok, serious question.... (ok, they all are...lol)
Do you need the shrimp if you are using live sand and live rock to cycle your tank?

NO, shrimp is not needed. LIve rock and live sand has all the beneficial bacteria needed to effectively seed and start a cycle. Even live rock that has just a little of its life left is still better than adding shrimp.

 

[rabbit]

I agree...that's what I said, there's no need for shrimp to rot in your tank when you already have beneficial bacteria from your LR and sand. Just throw some fish in there and your tank will be fine. Who came up with the shrimp theory any way...never heard of it....sounds stupid though....

 

[turningtim]

Just b/c there are the bacteria present in the LR/LS does NOT mean there is enough to carry the bio-load of fish. Just throwing fish in a tank is foolish b/c then you are cycling with fish which IMO is just cruel. If you buy fully cured LR/LS from LFS you will pay a high price for it and just b/c they have a large tank with LR/LS doesn't mean that it can handle the bio-load of fish. What are they feeding the bacteria with?
Simply put the already dead shrimp simulates the waste of the fish by decaying and will give off ammonia which will start the coloization of the bacteria to be able to handle the bio-load of fish. You need the ammonia to feed the bacteria. If there is little ammonia then the bacteria will only grow to the extent of the food its given.
Yes uncured LR will start the cycle of a tank b/c of die off but the dead shrimp will kick start the cycle and provide the ammonia for the bacteria to grow.
If you put more fish in a tank then the bacteria can handle what happens? You get an ammonia spike and the bacteria has to grow to handle the bio-load. Mean while the fish stress or die. Or if something dies in the tank and is not caught and it sits in the tank what happens? Another spike! why b/c the bacteria can not handle the extra ammonia in the tank.
I really don't know why it even being debated? Does anybody really think that a decaying cocktail shrimp is any worst then the waste of the fish?
Besides all that its a lot cheaper then any SW fish you can buy!
I see NO reason not to do it! Better safe then sorry!
JMO
stupid Tim

 

[vtfishies]

i agree tim...i used cured live rock..ls and 2 shrimp...it doesnt hurt to add the shrimp instead of stressin or haveing a fish die...and yes much cheaper....jmo and expereince..no need to debate or what not some people have heard of it some people have..not stupid by no means....good luck

 

[buzzininnv]

I agree. I had ls and lr with plenty of bacteria. Then i put the shrimp in and it spiked a little. 4 days later, everything was fine. I would rather throw a dead shimp in then throw a fish in the trash.

 

[everclear]

Originally Posted by BuzzininNV
I agree. I had ls and lr with plenty of bacteria. Then i put the shrimp in and it spiked a little. 4 days later, everything was fine. I would rather throw a dead shimp in then throw a fish in the trash.

In the trash? What happen to the fish heaven through the hole of the porcelain god :notsure: TRASH?

 

[spartanph]

Well 72 hours in the shrimp came out.
Tested water. Salinity 1.024. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, pH 8.4.
I've got quite a bit of brown and green algae so I added the cleaning crew today. Started with 12 astea snails, 12 hermits (adding to my one hitchhiker), and 3 peppermint shrimps.
Watching my live rock I have some tiny starfish hitchhikers, what looks like amphipods, some feather duster worms, aiptasia (yipee), a sponge, some green sea weed and red sea weed (might be Foraminiferans).
Thanks for everyone's help. Despite the debate I'm glad I put a shrimp in just to be safe. Should I be checking Calcium, Alk, or any other levels on a regular basis? And how soon should I see some of the coraline that died off start to grow back?
It's amazing how fun it is to watch a bunch of rock in a glass box and water!

 

[spartanph]

OK so maybe I was a little to zealous. 1 pep shrimp turned up dead today. Haven't seen the other 2. Snails are doing a nice job on the LR and the crabs seem to be chowing on the CC.
Are pepermint shrimp generally pretty fragile? Numbers still good this morning but I'm going to take water to the LFS today to double check my methods.
Any suggestions on testing levels other than Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH?

 

[saltwater8]

Originally Posted by SpartanPH
It's amazing how fun it is to watch a bunch of rock in a glass box and water!

***)

 

[turningtim]

Did you acclaimate the shrimp before putting them in the tank? I think it is a good idea to double check the water. I still don't understand why you are not seeing any nitrate. The tests you are doing is fine and will tell you a lot. What test kits are you using?
HTH
Tim

 

[milomlo]

Originally Posted by SpartanPH
OK so maybe I was a little to zealous. 1 pep shrimp turned up dead today. Haven't seen the other 2. Snails are doing a nice job on the LR and the crabs seem to be chowing on the CC.
Are pepermint shrimp generally pretty fragile? Numbers still good this morning but I'm going to take water to the LFS today to double check my methods.
Any suggestions on testing levels other than Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH?

Sorry for your loss. However I was told not to add shrimp to my clean up crew until the tank was 2-6 months old. Shrimp need a more stable system. That is what I was told and what I read. If I am wrong please correct me.

 

[milomlo]

Did you acclaimate the shrimp before putting them in the tank? I think it is a good idea to double check the water. I still don't understand why you are not seeing any nitrate. The tests you are doing is fine and will tell you a lot. What test kits are you using?
HTH
Tim[/QUOTE
Tim -

Correct me if I am mistaken, but don't you want all ammonia, trites and trates to read 0 at the end of the cycle? Maybe he missed the trate spike?

 

[turningtim]

Hey Milo, whats up?

The cycle goes ammn->bacteria builds and converts to trIte-> bacteria builds and converts to trAte. Now there are several ways to get rid of the trate, DSB which has anaerobic (oxygen starved bacteria) that grabs the trate and uses its oxygen and releases harmless nitrogen gas. Or a refuge that uses macros for the malnutrient export, this grabs trate and phosphate for its food. (didn't we just talk about that?LOL

). Water changes also are the most common way of removeing the tarte from any tank whether it be SW or FW.
So ammn spikes until bacteria can break it down trite, Trite spikes until bacteria can break it down to trate. The trates remain until any of the above is used to remove the trates.
In this case I doubt that a DSB has time to go anearobic, Didn't see a fuge in use and if done correctly there should be some kind of trates left after the cycle.
Ammn=0 trite=0 trate<20 do WC and cycle is done.......
Thats the way I see it, but then again what the heck do I know.......

HTH
Tim