Cycle has begun!!!!

[mp32]

I started my cycle on Monday and checked ammonia today and it was .5

I was expecting a week or more, I am using 2 shrimp no live rock,only base, 180 pounds of sand, half of it is cultured live sand. I checked readings twice and they both showed the same (different tubes) should I take the shrimp out now or wait another day or two to be sure?

 

[bgbdwlf2500]

Originally Posted by mp32
http:///forum/post/2643118
I started my cycle on Monday and checked ammonia today and it was .5

I was expecting a week or more, I am using 2 shrimp no live rock,only base, 180 pounds of sand, half of it is cultured live sand. I checked readings twice and they both showed the same (different tubes) should I take the shrimp out now or wait another day or two to be sure?
i think you take it out at 1 but it may get there without the skrimp

in there

 

[1journeyman]

I would remove the shrimp and begin ghost feeding the tank every few days. With that much live sand your bacteria should be cultured fairly quickly. Based on it actually being quality live sand.

 

[prime311]

You should be fine removing the shrimp now. You could do the ghost feeding too, but you need to be careful as that will add probably Phosphate to the tank.

 

[spiderwoman]

What is the size of your tank? We got our 150 started on Tuesday with 160lbs of LS (60lb dry aragonite, rest Key's sand)

 

[mp32]

Spider, I have a 180 and I am using the bagged cultured live sand and dry aragonite. Started checking nitites today nothing yet

. Thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[bgbdwlf2500]

Originally Posted by mp32
http:///forum/post/2644510
Spider, I have a 180 and I am using the bagged cultured live sand and dry aragonite. Started checking nitites today nothing yet

. Thanks for all the advice everyone.

id wait at least 2 days before id check for nitrites...the ammonia has to hang there for a bit before the bacteria will come...