Clarification on cycling

[Kilo]

Started Cycling my tank with table shrimp on 25 November. Below are my readings to date.

Questions:
1) should i increase the amount of shrimp to increase the ammonia?
Or
2) continue same amount of shrimp till nitrate appears and nitrite drops

Or
3) remove the shrimp now

 

[Brew12]

Started Cycling my tank with table shrimp on 25 November. Below are my readings to date.

Questions:
1) should i increase the amount of shrimp to increase the ammonia?
Or
2) continue same amount of shrimp till nitrate appears and nitrite drops

Or
3) remove the shrimp now

This is the problem with using table shrimp. You really have no idea where your cycle is at. This is why my preference is to dose pure ammonia. This way you know exactly how much ammonia you had, and how long it took to go away.

Your nitrate might help tell you the story. If you are seeing nitrates climb noticeably I would pull the shrimp. I would test 12 hrs after pulling the shrimp. If your ammonia goes from 1ppm to 0ppm in 12 hours you should be good to add fish.

And remember, a cycle is never really complete. You are just working to establish a large enough population of nitrifying bacteria to eliminate the ammonia produce from fish and decaying food. So always start stocking lightly and don't overfeed.

 

[Kilo]

This is the problem with using table shrimp. You really have no idea where your cycle is at. This is why my preference is to dose pure ammonia. This way you know exactly how much ammonia you had, and how long it took to go away.

Your nitrate might help tell you the story. If you are seeing nitrates climb noticeably I would pull the shrimp. I would test 12 hrs after pulling the shrimp. If your ammonia goes from 1ppm to 0ppm in 12 hours you should be good to add fish.

And remember, a cycle is never really complete. You are just working to establish a large enough population of nitrifying bacteria to eliminate the ammonia produce from fish and decaying food. So always start stocking lightly and don't overfeed.

I am from Singapore. Ammonia is control substance here.

Reading on 2nd Dec:
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Measured Nitrate, using NYos test kit. Color is between 5-12 mg/l

Pulled out the shrimp

Will check 12 hrs later

Am surprised nitrite and nitrate appearin a week.

 

[Brew12]

I am from Singapore. Ammonia is control substance here.

Reading on 2nd Dec:
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Measured Nitrate, using NYos test kit. Color is between 5-12 mg/l

Pulled out the shrimp

Will check 12 hrs later

Am surprised nitrite and nitate in a week. Is it because of microbactor 7 or fauna marin bactc

Wow... ammonia is a common cleaning product here in the US! Our biggest issue is that many ammonia products add soap. Learn something new every day.

And yes, using the "bacteria in a bottle" products are what jump started your cycle. They instantly gave you a decent size population of nitrifying bacteria. I think you will find that your ammonia and nitrite will quickly go to zero and that you are ready to begin slowly adding fish! :)