Quick question on cycling with a Shrimp

[alohami]

I could be wrong, but I would think you are fine. The main point of the shrimp is to get your cycle going, so as long as your Ammonia spiked first, then Nitrites, then Nitrates, and then fell (or is in process of coming down), you should be fine.
I could be wrong, but I wouldn't start over. At least get some more opinions before you do anything drastic.

 

[zenway9]

Well, the highest my ammonia has been is 1.0...I have no idea if that is a spike or not. It is now at .25
As far as nitrites and nitrates are concerned, I have seen the nitrites stay at 0 and the nitrates have spiked at 5.0 and are now back to 0. The ammonia numbers are making sense, but the others are not.
I am trying to figure out what would be the difference between putting a raw or cooked shrimp in the tank to cycle it.

 

[alohami]

1.0 for Ammonia doesn't seem really high to me, most people report they are off the charts and if I remember right, my scale goes up to a 2.0 (salifert test).
What brand of test kits are you using and how often did you test? Is it possible you may have missed the Nitrite spike? Since the Nitrites break down to Nitrates, I don't understand how you have Nitrates without having Nitrites first.
5.0 for Nitrates isn't very high either, I think they usually end up in the 20 - 30 range at the end of the cycle and you have to do a water change to help bring them down.
I wish I could help more, but I am just starting out too, so I definately don't have all the answers and I certainly don't want to steer you wrong.
You should probably start your own thread, post your test readings as the cycle went along and see what some of our experts say.

 

[snipe]

Useing a cooked on shouldnt be any diffrent. Did you shell the shrimp? The one big thing you want to look out for is seasond shrimp dont use thoughs. It really wouldnt matter on the coocked or not as someone els stated earlier it just needs to rot. Leaving the shell on will probly make this take longer.
JacknJill I saw you posted against it. I know everyone has there entitled 2 cents but why are you against it? I just dont see your point and am wondering what it is?

 

[jacknjill]

well I personally dont know as i bought my tank established, but i read on here somewhere a while ago that the cooked shrimp wont work because of something or other. it might though :notsure:
red sea tests always run .25 so keep that in mind.
and 1.0 ammonia is VERY high as any amount of ammonia can kill a fish. but thats not guaranteed as a had 2 clowns and a yellow tang that survived 4.0 :scared: ammonia in the qt tank because of something or other

 

[pyro]

When I used 2 raw ones in my 30g, (this is why I have a log of every day for the first 3 weeks with all the test results, but its upstairs, and I just injured myself on the stairs, I am now avoidign them and the computer was conviently right here ) I think my ammonia went up to 3 or 5 or so. It wasn't off the Red Sea chart, but it was I think 2 from the worst. My tank is working fine.
The cooked shrimp zenway mentioned sounds just like what I went through. Ehhh, I soak my fish food in garlic anyways, whats a little bit of butter on top of it going to do

. jk.

 

[alohami]

Originally posted by JacknJill
and 1.0 ammonia is VERY high as any amount of ammonia can kill a fish.
I only meant that 1.0 isn't very high if your CYCLING. Obviously, it would be very high in an established tank with fish.