Odor from the shrimp method to starting a tank?

[kdx7214]

I'm getting really close to adding water to my tank finally and am trying to decide which way to cycle it. In the past I've used the old "sacrificial fish" method (usually a freshwater molly or something that can live quite handily) but would like to consider other options.

I've read a lot about throwing half a shrimp in the tank and letting it go from there, but isn't the odor rather strong?

I don't have any need for the quick start methods and can wait a couple of months quite easily.

 

[blaxsun]

You can add the necessary beneficial bacteria to start and ghost feed mysis.

 

[WVNed]

For a small tank you only need a piece the size of your pinky nail. Not much to smell.

 

[Auquanut]

Are you starting with live rock or a starter bacteria? When I started my 125, I used 50% live rock. No bottled bac. Put a couple of dinner shrimp in a pair of my wife's old knee high stockings, and tied them to the return nozzles. The shrimp decomposed rather slowly in the current, and there was never a mess or smell. After a couple of weeks, threw away the stockings and done.

 

[WVNed]

Put less in and if it completely disappears add another tiny piece is how I did it.

 

[Idech]

Why don’t you use Dr Tim’s ammonia ? Guaranteed no smell.

 

[Tamberav]

I'm getting really close to adding water to my tank finally and am trying to decide which way to cycle it. In the past I've used the old "sacrificial fish" method (usually a freshwater molly or something that can live quite handily) but would like to consider other options.

I've read a lot about throwing half a shrimp in the tank and letting it go from there, but isn't the odor rather strong?

I don't have any need for the quick start methods and can wait a couple of months quite easily.

You can add fish food which stinks less. Like pellets.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’ve always used a shrimp .
I never noticed a smell until and if I removed it before it was decomposed .

 

[vetteguy53081]

You can do it and as stated with a much smaller pice. Although a rarely used method, years ago hobbyists would cycle their new tank with a sacrificial fish, like a blue damsel. While this method may still be used by some, it's not a good plan for two reasons: 1) as the ammonia rises in the water, the fish's gills are burned by the rising ammonia levels which is unkind, and 2) most people don't want the damsel in their aquarium later because it's deemed too aggressive to other livestock.
Once you fill up your aquarium with saltwater, powerheads, a heater and perhaps add sand for substrate, the next step is to "cycle" your tank. The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly. However, it is important to note that overloading the aquarium with too many fish initially can exceed what the bacteria can handle. This is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next few months. The bacterial levels will adapt if you don't overload the system with too many mouths to feed.

How long does the cycle generally last? Using the three test kits to measure results daily, you'll likely see the process takes 21 days. There are several ways to cycle a tank, but the easiest one is to run up to the supermarket, go to the seafood deli counter and ask for one large shrimp. If they sell it with the head, even better. One shrimp will cost about $1. Don't worry if they think you're crazy to buy only one; this is not the first time someone will wonder about your motivations with this hobby.
We're all crazy the day we considered getting into the saltwater hobby !!
Leave the shrimp in the tank for 72 hours. That's it. It may even visibly rot, or envelope in some type of mucous. That's what needs to happen. As the shrimp rots, ammonia is released into the water, and bacteria is growing exponentially, spreading into the substrate. The water may even look a little cloudy, which is totally normal and nothing to be concerned about. After three days, remove the shrimp and throw it away. It is no longer needed. Test for ammonia and see what it measures. It should read at the very least 1ppm, or higher.
Test the aquarium daily for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, logging the information on graph paper or perhaps in a spreadsheet or app. The more data points you collect over time will graph the rise and fall of each of these parameters. No livestock of any kind should be placed in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you have a few weeks to wait. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I looked into using shrimp/ prawn for kick-starting ammonia , but for me I found you could not measure accurately the decomposition/ ammonia present, so ammonia levels would of been un measurable, I used Dr Tim's ammonia chloride, for me it worked, not saying other will not

 

[brandon429]

in one month, if you add three pinches of ground up feed and no bottle bac, you're fully cycled

how about that option

it matches your desired start date, efficiently, and here's one that did it and graduated with an A+ reef.

 

[brandon429]

Build Thread - My SPS Waterbox Peninsula Mini 15

Hi all. Long time member (I think I joined right around when R2R started or took off years ago) but got out of the hobby for about 6 years and now I am back! I don't see many build threads for the PM 15 (mostly the 25) so thought I'd share my journey here. This post will be a bit behind...

www.reef2reef.com

fish food is cleaner, as able, and solves the need for the final big water change. its perfect for anyone with 30 days wait, the bacteria we'd normally buy from a bottle came from the home environment during setup, the food gave them carbon and all required ammonia during deamination breakdown by resident contamination bacteria. Dr Reef's carbon boost trick.

 

[kdx7214]

I may stick with the fish food method then. It was kind of nice in the past watching the molly swim around, but I'd rather not force it to deal with the salinity change and ammonia spikes.

Right now, the plan is as follows:

1. Get assembly finished and tank leak tested
2. Get RO/DI hooked up (have to call a plumber due to PEX lines in the house)
3. Fill tank
4. Put a 2" sand bed down
5. Start cycling the tank

I've not decided when to do the rock yet, although I'll likely do live rock. Probably going to have to wait until after the tank is filled and cycled for a bit before I get around to the rock. That stuff's heavy and expensive to ship. Doesn't help that I'm 2 hours from the nearest decent sized city either.

 

[melonheadorion]

as of a day or two ago, i have finished my second setup. my first setup, i didnt add anything. i just let things go as they pleased, and let nature create its own process. it took longer, but i was willing to go that route, just to learn the natural process.
now that i am setting up my larger tank, and know how to make things happen without the "assistance", i am going the easier/faster route, and cheating it. i am using the shrimp method on this to speed up the ammonia part. after about 2 full days of the shrimp being in, im at about .5 ammonia. i also have a bottle of the fritz zyme 9 that i will eventually add, but am going to wait a couple days before i start doing that to ensure that the bacteria has something to feed on, and kinda just letting nature start itself before using the bottled stuff, just because i like to see nature take its actual course, instead of forcing it.
i personally recommend doing a route like this, so you can kind of see things happen instead of a "poof" all done, and not really understand what happened at all, but thats up to you, and i would not judge if you went any route with it.

the shrimp way will help speed up the ammonia creation, and then from there, its just letting the bacteria get created to do the rest.