Ready to SCREAM

[tazsbaby99]

I spend hours on this site looking over old threads, trying to learn as much as i can and passing on somethings i have learned. I have posted a few times and not got much response and then there are other people (newbies as well) that post and get a million responses. No big deal i can handle that. but i remember a few weeks back asking the difference between live rock and cured rock...and still walked away confused from that thread...but after looking into it a bit more a month after i have had my tank set up and done my cycle, i think i bought cured live rock!!! which means basically i could have put fish in like a month ago right...???? and thats what the gal at majestic sea life meant when she said your levels are good now u can put fish in...or was she just trying to get me to spend extra money by loosing fish and having to buy more? :notsure: :notsure: i swear i feel like i stepped into a tornado and been dropped down a week later.
ok so hears how it went down... I went to local saltwater fish store they had live rock in this giant sink type setup..took the rock home...put it in my tank with my live sand. then i started the wonderful process of cycling my tank with a dead shrimp. my levels spiked not hughly but they did and all dropped back to 0.
did i waste my time with the shrimp???

 

[gexkko]

Nope. You basically gave the bacteria a food source to multiply rapidly from. Your levels spiked because the bacteria, while present, weren't as numerous as would be desired for a tank with fish. Now that the levels are back to zero, you know the tank is set for fish. As long as your other parameters are in range (pH, sg, temp) you should be fine, and have plenty of bacteria for a gradual bioload increase.
Oh, and as far as the replies to posts...I've been getting the same thing. I post what I think are legitimate questions, and don't get answers or get really short answers from 1 person that don't really answer the actual question anyway. Then I see other people ask a question which has the answer in another thread on the same page and they get a string of responses. I'm not sure what's up with that, but I share your frustration. However, it does motivate me to search through threads more to find answers...

 

[tazsbaby99]

well i guess i know now that there is definately no grey area as to weather my tank has cycled...lol.
thanks for responding..

 

[dogstar]

I understand that asking questions here can get frustating sometimes but try and remember that there are on average near 1000 a day asked and people choose to answer only a few as they visit. Some times the same questions have been asked 1000 times and people get tiered of answering them over and over and choose to answer ones that are uniqe or more interesting for them ect..Some times If I think from a persons first post that it could get out of hand or crazy or disrepectfull from the way its asked or that they just dont want to be apprecitive of the help then I pass on them....I think I remember answering you about your rock but again, I have answered so many post here about cycleing and rock and testing levels, ect..over and over again...that I may be wrong if it was you or not. There are 1000s of people posting here and they come and go and get banned all the time.....
As far as you question here in this thread....IDK unless you gave it a bioload and tested to see if the rock had cycyling bacteria befor adding the shrimp. If you bought cured live rock from a store them most likely you may have been able to put 1 or 2 small fish in but people can lable rock whatever they want but it does not mean it is what they say it is. I dont know if you understand now that you have learned more but explaining the cycle process and how denitification and all the bacteria that is needed and how and why it grows is not IMO something that can be answered in just a few short post on the net to were someone can have a good understanding of it all.. That is something that really should be researched through and only when and if you feel you understand it then go ahead and set up a tank...Please dont take this as anything personal towards you....Im just explaining How I do or dont respond and hopeing it helps you understand too.....

 

[tazsbaby99]

Thanks dogstar...I really do appreciate it...and i have in the past looked over other post..becuz i do know they are very repetative...so i totally understand where your coming from and i also understand the not answering of some..due to where the response could leave...have passed a few up myself for that reason...I guess it just gets overwhelming and you want a personal level answer if ya know what i mean...ex: this is MY question what is your answer.

 

[scfatz]

well i guess i know now that there is definately no grey area as to weather my tank has cycled...lol.
That in itself was worth the wait.You did it the right way for the right reasons imo.

 

[dogstar]

Thanks for understanding too. I was just trying to calm you down because I have been a newbe myself and for a few years befor finding THIS site. I do like this site very much and seen alot of good knowledgble hobbiest pass through. Enough here to read for years but its easier for someone to post " can I have a flame angle in my tank " and ofcaorse knone can answer that without asking back 10 questions about tank size and tankmates and how established ect. ect. Know one can learn about keepig a saltwater tank in just a short time but many try and the results are often discurageing because of levels being off or new fish ect. dieing. So much to know and every different animal avalible requires different things. Ant way its always best IMO to take ones time and research as much as you can from every source you can and as I said when you feel you understand then go for it. Things still could go bad but at least you did as much as anyone could ask....I wish someone had told me some of these things when I started.......

 

[bacia]

I am pretty new at this also. The way I got most of my basic information was to read fairly newly written books. I bought "the simple guide to marine aquariums" and that was very helpful. There is also a saltwater aquariums for dummies book that is supposed to be really good too. You can always borrow a book from the library if you don't want to, or don't have the money to invest in a book. I started reading about all this even before I set up a tank and I am still reading. Even buy a "Coral" magazine once in a while. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck.

 

[dogstar]

Yes, Books are wonderfull things......

 

[symon]

what if you can't read!

I agree there are times when people just don't give enough info to help them without asking 10 others questions, i think they need to put a sticky up that tells folks How to post questions in order to get some help!
But i also have to add, more then half of what i have learned about Saltwater tanks I have read right here! And i Thank you all!
Darn i forgot i can't read!