Starting the cycle question

[dmbfreek]

I've started up a 30g cube and added some live sand and about 5lbs of live rock that I got from a friends tank. This is the first time that I haven't used damsels to start the cycle. So my question is will this be enough to start the cycle or should I put a piece of shrimp in the tank also?
Also, probably a stupid question but if I do add shrimp, about how many and does it matter if it's cooked or raw? I know this is a noob question but I've never cycled a tank like this before.
Thanks for any help.

 

[crazyfish253]

If the rock and sand is live and from a perfectly cycled tank there most likely won't be an ammonia cycle.

 

[dmbfreek]

even if it's only 5-8lbs of LR? Also the sand was purchased as LS from Petco.

 

[crazyfish253]

O PETCO its going to cycle! Use a damsel. Live rock normal has a substantial amount of bacteria what's your filtration?

 

[dmbfreek]

small power filter and cpr bak pak.

 

[NC2WA]

the only issue with a damsel IMO is they are mean and can be hard to catch/remove from the tank. But are a good choice to cycling the tank.

This article might help in answering any other cycling questions:

Reef Frontiers - Cycling and recycling your tank

 

[akunochi]

To answer YOUR question

You use one large raw shrimp. Place it in a panty hose toe, tie a knot in it and toss it in. That way when you have the cycle going you can remove it easily.

 

[dmbfreek]

I've had the tank set up for about 6 days and introduced the live rock about 3 days ago and amonia is reading 1.0
I would like to avoid putting the fish through the cycle if I can help it. I'll give it a few days and see what my water parims are at.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Peppie]

IMO 5 lbs of live rock is not near enough. I would add about 20lbs more of dry rock. Do as Seth suggested with the raw shrimp and wait. Test once a week until the param. are in check. It will IMO take longer than normal with only 5 lbs of live rock.

 

[Krish]

I've started up a 30g cube and added some live sand and about 5lbs of live rock that I got from a friends tank. This is the first time that I haven't used damsels to start the cycle. So my question is will this be enough to start the cycle or should I put a piece of shrimp in the tank also?
Also, probably a stupid question but if I do add shrimp, about how many and does it matter if it's cooked or raw? I know this is a noob question but I've never cycled a tank like this before.
Thanks for any help.

You're no noobie!!! You've been away too long my friend . I agree with Peppie on the rock. Are you planning on adding anymore rock in there at any point in time? If so, I would add it all now if possible. Allow everything to cycle together one time than to introduce more rock later and expereince possibly another cycle. As for the raw shrimp method, I've never tried it, but the idea is to have some decaying matter in there to promote bacterial growth as it breaks down the decaying matter. You don't even have to use shrimp though as it can be anything. You can toss in a dead fish if you want because as mentioned, you are just trying to add a food source for bacteria to grow and populate your tank. Many people cycle their tanks this way without live fish so you should be good. Keep the liverock suggestion in mind though. You don't want to have to re-cycle your tank over later if you can avoid it.

Good luck dude!

 

[dmbfreek]

IMO 5 lbs of live rock is not near enough. I would add about 20lbs more of dry rock. Do as Seth suggested with the raw shrimp and wait. Test once a week until the param. are in check. It will IMO take longer than normal with only 5 lbs of live rock.

I have a total of about 35lbs of rock but only 5-8lbs of that is live.

You're no noobie!!! You've been away too long my friend . I agree with Peppie on the rock. Are you planning on adding anymore rock in there at any point in time? If so, I would add it all now if possible. Allow everything to cycle together one time than to introduce more rock later and expereince possibly another cycle. As for the raw shrimp method, I've never tried it, but the idea is to have some decaying matter in there to promote bacterial growth as it breaks down the decaying matter. You don't even have to use shrimp though as it can be anything. You can toss in a dead fish if you want because as mentioned, you are just trying to add a food source for bacteria to grow and populate your tank. Many people cycle their tanks this way without live fish so you should be good. Keep the liverock suggestion in mind though. You don't want to have to re-cycle your tank over later if you can avoid it.

Good luck dude!

Thanks Krish! Even tho I've been doing this for a while I still feel like a noob.
I'm thinking about trying the ghost feeding thing. See if that'll help speed things up a bit.

 

[Krish]

Good luck man! The liverock you have will seed the other rocks. You just need a food source in there to keep the bacteria going.


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[BigAl07]

The beauty of adding a "shrimp" is that it feeds the tank 24/7 which really "PUSHES" your bacterial colonization. This is a big plus so that when you add your first fish the tank is heavily colonized (overly so really) and you wont overly tax your new system with the first addition. Also you're not adding phosphates and anything else used in the food (ghost feeding) as a binder or preservative.

You can also "Push" the process by adding liquid bacteria (my personal pref if Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 which is a multi-pronged approach to the problem. Just for fun here's a good thread that has lots of ideas in it:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f36/what-method-do-you-use-cycle-new-tank-61747/


Fact of the matter is that you'll need to allow your bacteria time to colonize the "UnLive" rock which wont take long but will take longer than if you used all live rock. Bacteria colonize exponentially but the bio-film has to form on and in the rock before they can call it home. Testing is the only way to know where you stand in the whole "Cycle" but it sounds like you already know that

 

[dmbfreek]

Thanks for the info bigAl. Very helpful advice. Never thought of the phosphates in adding food so maybe I will just add shrimp.