Cycling with Shrimp

[susieq]

OK - I've had my raw peeled shrimp in my 75 gal for 2 days now. Ammonia is .25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0. If I understand the process, I wait until the ammonia reaches 1 and then take the shrimp out. Nitrite should go up, then nitrate. When nitrate = 10-20, I do my first water change and can add clean up crew. I also have live rock and live sand in the tank. Is this right?

 

[dogstar]

Pretty much got it right but never put any livestock in untill Amm. and Nitrites rise and fall back to 0. Do water changes to keep amm. from going over 1 and nitrites from going over .5. Both are toxic and can kill new livestock and if they get too high, could kill some of the hitch hickers from the rocks and cause the cycle to take longer.....Once cycle is done then always check nitrates and control them with water changes....

 

[susieq]

Thanks, this is my second tank. I cycled the first according to LFS instructions, you know how that goes. I wanted to do it right this time.