Adding critter during cycle

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 02:35 PM

In the middle of cycling my tank....wondering if it is ok to add a crab or something while the bacteria are growing?

Amonia is low around 2ppm, nitrites very low and no nitrates yet.

Ideally would like to add a brittle star or hermit crab

rale2001 · 05/20/2014, 02:50 PM

You want to make sure its fully cycled Ammonia is toxic to marine animals. tell us more about your setup

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:05 PM

I thought it was common to add creatures/fish during the cycling stage?

setup is 55 gallon tank with sump, liverock and live sand, a few days into cycling. Tank was sitting for 2 months as I didn't realize I had to add amonia to start the cycle...

Odysi · 05/20/2014, 03:09 PM

It is common practice to add livestock during the cycle, but not fish friendly. There are other ways to start your cycle rather then putting livestock in.

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:13 PM

Cycle is already started. If Amonia is at 2ppm that will be toxic to a hermit crab or snail?

Bent · 05/20/2014, 03:14 PM

Back before I knew better I cycled my first tank with blue damsels. I wouldn't do it again, they weren't to happy.

I wouldn't add anything unless it was already dead.

rlm2005 · 05/20/2014, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JingoFresh

I thought it was common to add creatures/fish during the cycling stage?

setup is 55 gallon tank with sump, liverock and live sand, a few days into cycling. Tank was sitting for 2 months as I didn't realize I had to add amonia to start the cycle...

It used to be common practice, now we know there are better and more humane ways of cycling. Wait till you've cycled and then you can add some animals. How much liverock do you have? As for an ammonia source you can toss in a small uncooked shrimp from the seafood counter. You can also use pure ammonia, not sure on the amount but I think it's included in the stickys at the top of this forum. I used the shrimp method.

Odysi · 05/20/2014, 03:17 PM

2ppm can be toxic to any marine animal. I would just wait til your cycle is finished to add any livestock. The few weeks you have left will go by fast you will see.

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:17 PM

I'm doing a fishless cycle with pure amonia, just wondering if I could add in something to look at.

Crabs are pretty hardy and it doesn't seem like amonia at 2ppm would have an effect on them?

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:18 PM

OK, guess I'll be waiting till it finishes.

Thanks.

Odysi · 05/20/2014, 03:20 PM

I was in your shoes a few months back. So i know how hard it is to wait it out lol. Do you have a QT set up? If you do you can start your QT of a fish this way you have something to look at!

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odysi

I was in your shoes a few months back. So i know how hard it is to wait it out lol. Do you have a QT set up? If you do you can start your QT of a fish this way you have something to look at!

What's a QT?

Not adding fish just an octopus eventually.

Odysi · 05/20/2014, 03:23 PM

Quarantine Tank

rale2001 · 05/20/2014, 03:25 PM

patience my friend i cycled my 90g with 100lbs of live rock from an established tank I used 40 lbs of live sand and i dosed seachem stability and my tank fully cycled in 2 weeks I waited another 2 weeks before i put any life in it. I tested my water ever 2 days and on that 14th day and ammonia and nitrites was 0 and nitrates was 20 I did a 20% water change and I had zeros across the board. some people oppose dosing to cycle but it worked out great for me.

JingoFresh · 05/20/2014, 03:25 PM

Ahh, no but I may start setting up a feeder tank

MinnFish · 05/20/2014, 06:58 PM

any experience in keeping and setting up a display for this octopus? What type of octopus are you planning to get.

Sk8r · 05/20/2014, 09:46 PM

no. You should complete the cycle, then quarantine a fish for 4 weeks, and also have crabs and worms and snails in the tank preparing the sandbed for those 4 weeks. Don't rush things. It takes time for bacteria to make more bacteria...

Bent · 05/21/2014, 05:08 AM

Have you been on the cephalopod forums?

What species octo are you getting? I kept an octo through it's lifespan once. Hit me up if you have any Qs.

There are also some good resources in the cephalopod forums. That's where I learned a lot back in the day.

JingoFresh · 05/21/2014, 08:36 AM

Yeah I'm on on tonmo as well. I know it's hard and I'm a beginner...I won't be adding it until I'm ready and sure...

what about adding plants during a cycle?

Bent · 05/21/2014, 08:59 AM

I didn't think it was all that difficult. I actually had an easier time and better success with my bimac than I had with pretty much any other aquatic critter I've kept through the years.

As to the plants. I can't say.

Good luck with the octo, you'll really enjoy it.

JingoFresh · 05/21/2014, 09:37 AM

Plants suck up nitrates and ammonia so it a cycle can't be toxic to them right?

05/20/2014, 02:35 PM	#1
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	Adding critter during cycle In the middle of cycling my tank....wondering if it is ok to add a crab or something while the bacteria are growing? Amonia is low around 2ppm, nitrites very low and no nitrates yet. Ideally would like to add a brittle star or hermit crab

05/20/2014, 02:50 PM	#2
rale2001 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Memphis, Tn Posts: 429	You want to make sure its fully cycled Ammonia is toxic to marine animals. tell us more about your setup __________________ 90g Reef Octo BH2000 Tek 8x54 T5s 100 lbs of fiji rock Tangs; Magnif foxface; clowns; bar goby; chromis; Cardinal Frogspawns; zoas; scroll; acans; red and blue people eaters; RBTA and Carpet Nems Current Tank Info: 90g and 36g Bow

05/20/2014, 03:14 PM	#6
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Back before I knew better I cycled my first tank with blue damsels. I wouldn't do it again, they weren't to happy. I wouldn't add anything unless it was already dead. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

05/20/2014, 03:25 PM	#14
rale2001 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Memphis, Tn Posts: 429	patience my friend i cycled my 90g with 100lbs of live rock from an established tank I used 40 lbs of live sand and i dosed seachem stability and my tank fully cycled in 2 weeks I waited another 2 weeks before i put any life in it. I tested my water ever 2 days and on that 14th day and ammonia and nitrites was 0 and nitrates was 20 I did a 20% water change and I had zeros across the board. some people oppose dosing to cycle but it worked out great for me. __________________ 90g Reef Octo BH2000 Tek 8x54 T5s 100 lbs of fiji rock Tangs; Magnif foxface; clowns; bar goby; chromis; Cardinal Frogspawns; zoas; scroll; acans; red and blue people eaters; RBTA and Carpet Nems Current Tank Info: 90g and 36g Bow

05/20/2014, 06:58 PM	#16
MinnFish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home of 10,000 lakes Posts: 917	any experience in keeping and setting up a display for this octopus? What type of octopus are you planning to get. __________________ 33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle

05/20/2014, 03:05 PM	#3
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	I thought it was common to add creatures/fish during the cycling stage? setup is 55 gallon tank with sump, liverock and live sand, a few days into cycling. Tank was sitting for 2 months as I didn't realize I had to add amonia to start the cycle...

05/20/2014, 03:09 PM	#4
Odysi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 401	It is common practice to add livestock during the cycle, but not fish friendly. There are other ways to start your cycle rather then putting livestock in.

05/20/2014, 03:13 PM	#5
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	Cycle is already started. If Amonia is at 2ppm that will be toxic to a hermit crab or snail?

05/20/2014, 03:17 PM	#8
Odysi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 401	2ppm can be toxic to any marine animal. I would just wait til your cycle is finished to add any livestock. The few weeks you have left will go by fast you will see.

05/20/2014, 03:18 PM	#10
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	OK, guess I'll be waiting till it finishes. Thanks.

05/20/2014, 03:20 PM	#11
Odysi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 401	I was in your shoes a few months back. So i know how hard it is to wait it out lol. Do you have a QT set up? If you do you can start your QT of a fish this way you have something to look at!

05/20/2014, 03:23 PM	#13
Odysi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 401	Quarantine Tank

05/20/2014, 09:46 PM	#17
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	no. You should complete the cycle, then quarantine a fish for 4 weeks, and also have crabs and worms and snails in the tank preparing the sandbed for those 4 weeks. Don't rush things. It takes time for bacteria to make more bacteria... __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/21/2014, 05:08 AM	#18
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Have you been on the cephalopod forums? What species octo are you getting? I kept an octo through it's lifespan once. Hit me up if you have any Qs. There are also some good resources in the cephalopod forums. That's where I learned a lot back in the day. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

05/21/2014, 08:36 AM	#19
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	Yeah I'm on on tonmo as well. I know it's hard and I'm a beginner...I won't be adding it until I'm ready and sure... what about adding plants during a cycle?

05/21/2014, 08:59 AM	#20
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	I didn't think it was all that difficult. I actually had an easier time and better success with my bimac than I had with pretty much any other aquatic critter I've kept through the years. As to the plants. I can't say. Good luck with the octo, you'll really enjoy it. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

05/21/2014, 09:37 AM	#21
JingoFresh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 447	Plants suck up nitrates and ammonia so it a cycle can't be toxic to them right?