T
thomas712
Guest
Can I just stop by and say
This thread is a stitch.
This thread is a stitch.
Do I need a shrimp if......
- Thread starter vito525
- Start date
cowfishrule
Active Member
to me, using cycle and stress zyme is like using windex on a paper cut
just doesnt make sense...
just doesnt make sense...
bjgwilliam
Member
Now that is taking a stand Mr. Corleone...
shoogieboo
Member
when you say ammonia spike :thinking: how high were talking? if i transfered liverock and its same water in my tank, the ammonia goes to 1.5 for 2 days and then goes to 0 today..did i have a spike? did my tank cycle? and can someone tell me all levels like ph nitrate nitrite temp and gravity? would be considered "normal" for an avg tank?
snipe
Active Member
Originally posted by ReefNut
Using a dead shrimp is perfectly fine to cycle your tank with. I would wait a few days and see if your ammonia and nitrites start to build up. If not, then add a shrimp.
No need to add chemicals to do what mother nature will do for you IMO.
I agree dont use chemicals! AVOID them at all costs!
I used 4 shrimp and my tank was really pushed causing a great cycle.
reefnut
Active Member
That will be fine vito. Don't worry about how the post went, the most important thing is that you and others get your questions answered... and answered correctly. As you can see there are many different opinions and methods in this hobby... any of which could be debated. Just take what makes the best sense to you and go with it 
ophiura
Active Member
Flame war? I certainly hope that is not the impression! It was not the intent.
So far as I can tell, this is a debate on ideas, IMO. And it is clear that on the cycle question there are a lot of ideas. People don't always intend, or want, to hear them. But there are not always easy straight forward answers. It is important to understand the role different things play in a cycle - the purpose of ammonia for example. More detail than requested, but not out of hand, IMO.
When you understand the cycle, you understand more about your tank and water parameters. If you see a high ammonia spike, you should see a nitrite spike within a few days, along with a decline in ammonia. Ultimately, ammonia would be 0, nitrite would be decreasing, and nitrate would be going up. When ammonia just sticks around with no increase in nitrite, as is happening in another thread...something is potentially wrong....what is a good next step? Verify some chems and the, yup, more live rock or a product like Cycle! :yes:
To address Shoogieboo's question. This pattern should be seen in a cycling tank...but many people only start to see the nitrates. When in doubt, add an ammonia source to see if you get ammonia. If not, the tank can be considered cycled. If you do, it wasn't cycled. But an established cycled tank should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and nitrates generally <20, IMO. pH is usually 8.0-8.3, and specific gravity depends on the animals you are keeping (1.019 common in FO systems, but should be higher with inverts - 1.025 or so).
I DO want to clarify this - I draw a big line between the "Cycle" type products and chemicals...IMO there would be nothing at all wrong with adding Cycle in the tank...but you still need ammonia, which we'll hope we get from the rock. As mentioned Cycle works great in freshwater tanks and in salt water tanks with no LR. But if you have LR...there is no point in adding another bottle of bacteria, IMO. It won't add much to the equation...you still need ammonia
When people mention "chemicals" - that I am opposed to...ammonia contoller type chemicals for example. Don't like those at all. Defeats the purpose of the cycle.
I certainly hope that is not the impression! It was not the intent. So far as I can tell, this is a debate on ideas, IMO. And it is clear that on the cycle question there are a lot of ideas. People don't always intend, or want, to hear them. But there are not always easy straight forward answers. It is important to understand the role different things play in a cycle - the purpose of ammonia for example. More detail than requested, but not out of hand, IMO.
When you understand the cycle, you understand more about your tank and water parameters. If you see a high ammonia spike, you should see a nitrite spike within a few days, along with a decline in ammonia. Ultimately, ammonia would be 0, nitrite would be decreasing, and nitrate would be going up. When ammonia just sticks around with no increase in nitrite, as is happening in another thread...something is potentially wrong....what is a good next step? Verify some chems and the, yup, more live rock or a product like Cycle!
:yes:To address Shoogieboo's question. This pattern should be seen in a cycling tank...but many people only start to see the nitrates. When in doubt, add an ammonia source to see if you get ammonia. If not, the tank can be considered cycled. If you do, it wasn't cycled. But an established cycled tank should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and nitrates generally <20, IMO. pH is usually 8.0-8.3, and specific gravity depends on the animals you are keeping (1.019 common in FO systems, but should be higher with inverts - 1.025 or so).
I DO want to clarify this - I draw a big line between the "Cycle" type products and chemicals...IMO there would be nothing at all wrong with adding Cycle in the tank...but you still need ammonia, which we'll hope we get from the rock. As mentioned Cycle works great in freshwater tanks and in salt water tanks with no LR. But if you have LR...there is no point in adding another bottle of bacteria, IMO. It won't add much to the equation...you still need ammonia
When people mention "chemicals" - that I am opposed to...ammonia contoller type chemicals for example. Don't like those at all. Defeats the purpose of the cycle.
rubberduck
Active Member
i cant believe this
:hilarious
this is crazy
cowfishrule
Active Member
:notsure:
this thread turned into a seinfeld episode
this thread turned into a seinfeld episode
cowfishrule
Active Member
shark eats tang
although, after reading again, who would be the shrimp nazi?
although, after reading again, who would be the shrimp nazi?
snipe
Active Member
I try to avoid chems the only thing I add to my tank is stuff for my filter feeding inverts and I have to treat my tap water for chlorine and chlormine and metals. If I had to go any farther than that I dont know what I would do. I am thinking about buying a tap water filter that tetra tech just came out with it filters all that stuff out without adding chems and there only $30.
dea_mt
Member
that is alright snipe but if i were you i would definantely invest in a RO/DI unit. you can also just buy the de-ionized water from the fish shop...around here they said it was $.99 a gal. which i plan on doing for my next water change but i plan on getting a RO/DI unit soon
:happy:
:happy:
snipe
Active Member
My tap is fine I have hardley any diatom growth and that probly came from the cycle. I just have to treat for chlorine and such so I dont kill my fish with that. For some reason our whater is high in cholorine and stuff here but it seems to be very good to use for a tank I have no idea.