So i just started the cycle... I think?

[SvenAqua]

Hi! Im pretty much an beginner in this side of the hobby, so excuse my dumb questions.. The last four days i have been setting up an 100g tank (total water volume with sump).

Now on this day I have put a frozen shrimp (just one) in the aquarium and dosed a starting dose of microbe-lift Special blend. so I'm ready with my test kit for the next few days.

so am i on the right side of the road? or was the dosage of special blend unnecessary?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Yes you're on the right track. Do you have a ammonia test kit? Start testing for it. One shrimp may not be enough (though I have no idea). I would suggest getting a bottle of Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride and dose accordingly.

 

[SvenAqua]

Yes you're on the right track. Do you have a ammonia test kit? Start testing for it. One shrimp may not be enough (though I have no idea). I would suggest getting a bottle of Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride and dose accordingly.

yes, I have an ammonia test. I will start testing every day starting tomorrow. To keep track.

dr tims is very hard to get here in my country, unfortunately. (Sweden).

 

[FUNGI]

yes, I have an ammonia test. I will start testing every day starting tomorrow. To keep track.

dr tims is very hard to get here in my country, unfortunately. (Sweden).

You wont need it.
Keep the shrimp in there for 3~4 days......
ammonia will show up.....and then just wait another week and you should have nitrates show up....
BTW, this will be a weak cycle.....when you add any livestock, do slowly so your bacteria system can keep up

 

[SvenAqua]

You wont need it.
Keep the shrimp in there for 3~4 days......
ammonia will show up.....and then just wait another week and you should have nitrates show up....
BTW, this will be a weak cycle.....when you add any livestock, do slowly so your bacteria system can keep up

thanks for your reply! Is there anything I can do to make it stronger tho?

 

[ScottJ]

thanks for your reply! Is there anything I can do to make it stronger tho?

Just add life slowly at first. Take your time and you'll be fine. Nice looking tank, btw.

 

[Asm481]

Is that a cooked shrimp? I thought it worked best with uncooked raw shrimp. Maybe doesn't matter. You just need something breaking down and rotting. You can throw some fish food in and let rot also. That shrimp will get stinky, just warning you.

 

[SvenAqua]

Update day since Friday - still no ammonia reading.. but i got 0.05ppm in nitrite and 1ppm nitrate

 

[ScottJ]

Update day since Friday - still no ammonia reading.. but i got 0.05ppm in nitrite and 1ppm nitrate

Could be your Microlift bottled bacteria is processing the ammonia from the shrimp as fast as it decays. That means it's doing it's job! I would just follow the directions on the bottle for dosing. Keep going like you're going and you will be good.

What brand test kits are you using? And you set it up with RODI water, right? Also what king of rock did you use, dry or wet?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Is that a cooked shrimp? I thought it worked best with uncooked raw shrimp. Maybe doesn't matter. You just need something breaking down and rotting. You can throw some fish food in and let rot also. That shrimp will get stinky, just warning you.

Last time I tossed in a shrimp for cycling it was raw. Worked great. And it'll decompose faster. But It'll end up working either way. Rot is rot.

 

[Spare time]

Is that a cooked shrimp? I thought it worked best with uncooked raw shrimp. Maybe doesn't matter. You just need something breaking down and rotting. You can throw some fish food in and let rot also. That shrimp will get stinky, just warning you.

It wouldn't matter

 

[SvenAqua]

Could be your Microlift bottled bacteria is processing the ammonia from the shrimp as fast as it decays. That means it's doing it's job! I would just follow the directions on the bottle for dosing. Keep going like you're going and you will be good.

What brand test kits are you using? And you set it up with RODI water, right? Also what king of rock did you use, dry or wet?

I've been using Jbl marine test kit! Yes, im using Rodi-water, just dry rocks (AF Rock) and dry sand.

 

[TOReef82]

Hi All,

New the hobby and in the process of cycling my first saltwater tank. Have a question regarding the raw shrimp method.

I am ~ 1 week into cycling my 40 gallon tank. I opted to use a single raw shrimp to start the cycle in addition to dosing the tank daily with the "Aquavitro Seed" bacteria. Below are my current readings:

Salinity = 1.026
PH = 8.4ppm
Ammonia = 0.5ppm
Nitrate = 5ppm
Nitrite (have not tested yet as the API kit I bought was missing the second bottle of solution needed for test).
Plan is to get the needed solution over the weekend and test accordingly. However in the absence of this I opted to test for Nitrate (next stage of the cycle) and have observed the levels decreased from 10ppm to 5ppm.

My question relates to the raw shrimp. After about a week it still looks like a cooked piece of shrimp (i.e it's pink/reddish similar to OP's pic) and does not show any signs of decay ( don't notice a smell as well). Should I leave this in the tank until it begins decaying?

From replies above it seems like the bacteria colony above is likely consuming the ammonia thus delaying the decaying process.

Appreciate the feedback and guidance in advance!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d stop adding bacteria. The tank is likely cycled from the bacteria alone, and more is not better.

The bacteria is not delaying decay of the shrimp. That process is slow. Ammonia dies not speed it.

 

[TOReef82]

I’d stop adding bacteria. The tank is likely cycled from the bacteria alone, and more is not better.

The bacteria is not delaying decay of the shrimp. That process is slow. Ammonia dies not speed it.

Appreciate the feedback. Is there a stage where I should remove the shrimp?