Red Spots in sand

[bradttu]

I have a coral banded shrimp that a friend let me "borrow" for my cycle. I put him in 2 days after I put water in my tank. He is doing just fine. My LR came with 2 crabs and 1 snail also. Everything is still alive. Should I pull them all out???

 

[barracuda]

Originally posted by bradttu
I have a coral banded shrimp that a friend let me "borrow" for my cycle.
Why did you need CBS for cycle??? You don't cycle tank with live shrimp.
You need DEAD for decaying purposes, to initiate ammonia spike.
If you want to go through another cycle, i would suggest you to take out everything live from the tank. I mean snails, crabs, shrimps....

 

[bradttu]

He said that I could use it for the cycle. I said, "whatever you say."
Okay, I'll try the dead cocktail shrimp and see what happens.
Thanks for the help!!!

 

[barracuda]

Originally posted by bradttu
He said that I could use it for the cycle. I said, "whatever you say."

Bradttu,
with all the respect to your friend, i would suggest you to recheck what else your friend told you, if you want your SW system working properly. Cycle is the BASIC for the sw hobbyist.
Good luck and happy cycling!!!

 

[bradttu]

Well, I was under the impression that my tank cycled FAST. From everything that I have read, it usually take a month or so, correct??? I thought I was lucky or something.
Thanks again.

 

[barracuda]

Unfortunately we cannot beat the mother nature. Cycle means establishement of bacterial life forms. However sometimes this process may take a few days, but in very different conditions. I cycled my second set up with "Nature's ocean" bio active aragonite sand. This sand is so active and full of critters and bacteria, that i actually never saw ammonia spike and nitrite was high only for a few days. I cycled that tank with 4 raw shrimps.

 

[bradttu]

I have 60# of Arag-alive by caribsea.