Here We Go!!

[ryan_ferguson25]

Finally got everything plumbed and water filled today.

My SG sitting nicely at 1.025.... not bad for a first try... lol

I waited for my water to clear up from the initial fill and I added 1 whole shrimp on one of my rocks to start my cycle..... Wish me luck!!!

I was going to wait around 24 hrs before trying my first ammonia test... thoughts?

[gone fishin]

Good luck, you can wait a day or so before checking the ammonia. Before it gets to late I would suggest putting the shrimp in a piece of pantyhose or similar. If you ultimately need to remove the shrimp this will make it much easier, since it will be all rotted and falling apart.

[kmbyrnes]

Welcome to the addiction!

[ryan_ferguson25]

Thanks, I got excited this morning thinking i'd have ammonia already... lol... with no such luck.

i'll put the shrimp in something... thanks... makes sense.

Shud I leave the shrimp in until I get to 2ppm?

I've read or watched about that number... just making sure!

[johnike]

Good advice Tony, and welcome Ryan.

For the record, there is no picture anywhere on the internet of a shrimp in pantyhose, so don't bother.

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by johnike

Good advice Tony, and welcome Ryan.

For the record, there is no picture anywhere on the internet of a shrimp in pantyhose, so don't bother.

I had to try.

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by ryan_ferguson25

Thanks, I got excited this morning thinking i'd have ammonia already... lol... with no such luck.

i'll put the shrimp in something... thanks... makes sense.

Shud I leave the shrimp in until I get to 2ppm?

I've read or watched about that number... just making sure!

when I would use a shrimp for cycling I would pull it once the ammonia hit 2-3ppm.

[ryan_ferguson25]

Cheers thx!

[ryan_ferguson25]

Will a single shrimp get me to 2ppm? Or should I add another?

[reef thief]

Just ignore these creative ideas and take a wizz in your sump. That's the easy way.

[CindyK]

Originally Posted by johnike

Good advice Tony, and welcome Ryan.

For the record, there is no picture anywhere on the internet of a shrimp in pantyhose, so don't bother.

It is really difficult to find pantyhose small enough to fit

Ok, enough already!

Not intending to hijack, but how long should it take to get to 2 ppm? I waited 4 days after throwing the shrimp in (sans pantyhose) before I tested and was at 1 and headed down. I don't know if I got to 2 in those 4 days or not. And I don't know if it even matters, because I don't know where the "2 ppm" rule that I see ppl quoting came from?

JW.

TIA. And again, I'm sorry if this is a hijack, but seems pertinent to the OP's question...

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by CindyK

It is really difficult to find pantyhose small enough to fit

Ok, enough already!

Not intending to hijack, but how long should it take to get to 2 ppm? I waited 4 days after throwing the shrimp in (sans pantyhose) before I tested and was at 1 and headed down. I don't know if I got to 2 in those 4 days or not. And I don't know if it even matters, because I don't know where the "2 ppm" rule that I see ppl quoting came from?

JW.

TIA. And again, I'm sorry if this is a hijack, but seems pertinent to the OP's question...

I don't know exactly where the 2ppm number came from. I suspect it seemed to be a number that worked for a robust cycle. FWIW I have always shot for 2-3ppm. I kind off got away from using a shrimp for the reasons you mentioned. I have had cycles where the level hit the magic number and stayed for a bit. Other times I just assumed it came and went real fast. The last couple of cycles I have used straight ammonia. I know that the level got to where I wanted.

[ryan_ferguson25]

So I'm going on 36 hrs with a single shrimp and I'm still reading 0ppm for ammonia.

PH seems low at around 7.8
SG -1.026
Temp - 77°

It's an 80 gal tank with sump, it took 65 gallons to fill including sump. 85lbs of dry rock and about 1 inch of sand/gravel.

Not trying to be a ram-rod but I thought I'd be seeing a little ammonia by now. Thinking of chopping and adding a second shrimp tonight before bed.

Thoughts?

[gone fishin]

Does it look like the shrimp is breaking down?

[ryan_ferguson25]

Not really

I added about 5 small cut up pieces last night...Gonna test today around 4pm to see.

[jd371]

I used pure ammonia to get me started. Not so much because I couldn't wait for the shrimp to break down and for the ammonia to rise, it was the smell! The tank is right near the den and while watching TV I would get a wiff of the tank.
I dosed some Bio Spira and then some ammonia to 2ppm. Each day I would check the ammonia and raise it to 2ppm until the ammonia would go from 2ppm to 0 in 24hours at that point I added the CUC, and the first fish a few weeks after that.

[ryan_ferguson25]

I was basically waiting for my ammonia to get to 2ppm with the shrimp then add my Seachem Stability. About to test now...hopefully I get something.

[ryan_ferguson25]

Still no ammonia...patience is a b word!!

[ryan_ferguson25]

Originally Posted by jd371

I used pure ammonia to get me started. Not so much because I couldn't wait for the shrimp to break down and for the ammonia to rise, it was the smell! The tank is right near the den and while watching TV I would get a wiff of the tank.
I dosed some Bio Spira and then some ammonia to 2ppm. Each day I would check the ammonia and raise it to 2ppm until the ammonia would go from 2ppm to 0 in 24hours at that point I added the CUC, and the first fish a few weeks after that.

If I was to pull the plug on the shrimp and add pure ammonia how much did u dosend each tI'm? Tea spoon??

[ryan_ferguson25]

Wow autospell really took over there..

Dose each time is what that's supposed to say

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by gone fishin

Good luck, you can wait a day or so before checking the ammonia. Before it gets to late I would suggest putting the shrimp in a piece of pantyhose or similar. If you ultimately need to remove the shrimp this will make it much easier, since it will be all rotted and falling apart.

This.

[jd371]

Originally Posted by ryan_ferguson25

If I was to pull the plug on the shrimp and add pure ammonia how much did u dosend each tI'm? Tea spoon??

I used a dropper and just added some drops and tested and repeated until I reached 2ppm. Once you reach 2ppm and start testing every day you'll sort of know about how many drops it will take to raise it up again. Once ammonia reached 0 in 24 hrs I started checking nitrite and a couple of days later I was good to go. It took about 3 weeks for my 75g to cycle. The shrimp method works, but I couldn't deal with that horrible smell.

[ryan_ferguson25]

Originally Posted by jd371

I used a dropper and just added some drops and tested and repeated until I reached 2ppm. Once you reach 2ppm and start testing every day you'll sort of know about how many drops it will take to raise it up again. Once ammonia reached 0 in 24 hrs I started checking nitrite and a couple of days later I was good to go. It took about 3 weeks for my 75g to cycle. The shrimp method works, but I couldn't deal with that horrible smell.

Cheers thx

[gone fishin]

If you want to go the ammonia route the link may be of use to you. Good luck

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/

[ryan_ferguson25]

Cool...thanks!

Going to give it 4 full days...if nothing I'll go the ammonia route...that calculator will help...thx