Cylcling a tank with shrimp

[btkrausen]

My 220 is up and running, and its been a while since I've had to cycle a tank. I've always started a tank with live rock, but this one I'm using all new and dry sand and rock.

Which method would you use? Toss in two large uncooked shrimp to float around, or use MicroBateria7 to seed the tank. If using shrimp, how long do you leave them in there for?

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Leave it in until you get a decent ammonia reading (.5 ppm or more)

 

[grouse]

while using shrimp is an old tryed & true method the drawback is all the amonia required to establish a bacteria coliny turns to nitrates so Ya start Your tank with crappy water IMHO i prefer to start my tanks with good water & no nitrates
by eather cycling rock & sand outside of tank or using micro bactor & patients & light bioloads, thats MHO

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

I dumped in 2 liters of rotting phyto... my ammonia was .5 ppm the next morning.

 

[BigFeesh]

Use your skimmate frOm your other tank. Just dump it in.

 

[btkrausen]

I don't have another tank, haha. I shut down my other tank a while ago. And when I start adding fish, it'll be a slow process, adding one or two fish at a time, so bioload will be small for 260gal and slowly increase.

I'll leave the shrimp in for a while til I notice something happening to it, or until I get back from traveling after next week. I'm also putting MB7 in the tank, following the directions on the container. I don't plan to put anything in the tank until I get back from my Texas trip in mid August, or maybe even the first week of September since I'll be traveling so much soon.

I do plan to get some live rock in a few weeks from my buddy to seed the new tank.