Raw Shrimp Tank Cyle~ Question

[Impossible]

I stopped by my lfs yesterday and got everything ready to start my tank but i have a question ...where could i get raw shrimp to cycle the tank, i dont want it to have any chemical preservatives obviously i mean where did u guys get yours? like a qfc, walmart, or like a seafood seller? cause around here we only have like qfc, and walmart.

[66deuce]

Got any asian supermarkets nearby?

[ahenson]

Do you have live rock already?

[Impossible]

i picked up 50 pounds base rock for a local guy and like 4 pounds live rock to seed it

[Impossible]

From*, and also i have like 2 hermits and 2 snails, my lfs said they could go in so i got them

[MrTuskfish]

Originally Posted by Impossible

I stopped by my lfs yesterday and got everything ready to start my tank but i have a question ...where could i get raw shrimp to cycle the tank, i dont want it to have any chemical preservatives obviously i mean where did u guys get yours? like a qfc, walmart, or like a seafood seller? cause around here we only have like qfc, and walmart.

A fresh (probably previously frozen, anyway) or frozen shrimp from Wal-mart will be fine.

[Impossible]

Okay, but they dont use any chemicals to preserve them right?

[ahenson]

With rock and a few animals in there don't add a dead shrimp! If the rock has life, and the clean up crew will both add waste and help cycle the tank. You are already producing waste with what you have.

[ahenson]

Patience is key with a new tank!

[Impossible]

How long can live rock live in cold water? i had the rock in the car but the water got cold, everything on it lived the featherdusters, the cuc lived, even a hitchhiker mushroom lived... but howo do i know if the live rock is still live?

[Sisterlimonpot]

Your going to have bacteria die off from having it in cold water. depending on the time it was in these cold conditions will determine how much. What is your definition of 'cold water'?

As for the dead shrimp, get it from the supermarket make sure it's uncooked and unseasoned.

[ahenson]

It will be fine, especially if your animals are. Trust me if you bought this rock with life on it, just be patient and let it be in the tank. Give it time and the tank will cycle on it's own. The longer you wait to add things, the better it will be in the long run. You will get all kinds of pods and worms from the rock (especially without fish eating them). It can be entertaining just watching the rock and looking for new things.

[Impossible]

It was pretty dang cold. but all the living organisms are fine so idk...

[Impossible]

Originally Posted by ahenson

It can be entertaining just watching the rock and looking for new things.

Ya i stared at the rock for froever last night i got like 20+ hitchhikers on like 4 pounds or rock too.

[ahenson]

Originally Posted by Sisterlimonpot

Your going to have bacteria die off from having it in cold water. depending on the time it was in these cold conditions will determine how much. What is your definition of 'cold water'?

As for the dead shrimp, get it from the supermarket make sure it's uncooked and unseasoned.

Why add a dead shrimp to a tank with life already in it? Please rethink this one

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by ahenson

Why add a dead shrimp to a tank with life already in it? Please rethink this one

The original question was just that.

However, it all comes down to how robust you want your cycle to be. Die off from not completely cured live rock will produce ammonia to stimulate the growth of bacteria but if your plans are to have enough bacteria right away to support the introduction of more than a few fish at once it's always a good idea to add the shrimp.

but again if the plans are to add 1 fish every couple weeks, allowing the rock to fully cure from die off will be fine as well.

2 different schools of thought both right, one would be used to stock slowly the other is to support a dramatic increase in bioload.

[ahenson]

Ya I agree, makes sense, I like the slow approach. But to each their own,
I think starting with that much base rock you need to go slow as you are going to being fighting algae cycles as well. I think it is very doable, just need patience.

[Sisterlimonpot]

you're right, given the audience the slow approach is definitely the way to go.

[Frogmanx82]

I'd just feed pieces of shrimp that the crabs can eat. If you want to build the ammonia capacity prior to adding fish, just add a pinch of fish food everyday as if you were feeding them.

[mcoomer]

If you already have some live rock and a few crabs and snails I'd simply take a piece of shrimp, grind it to paste or cut into very tiny pieces, and put it in a ziploc in the freezer. Every few days break off a small piece and drop it in the tank. Your crabs will chase down any pieces that hit the bottom and the tank will take care of the rest.

Mike

[Impossible]

Thanks for the input i just put in the base rock, i was guna post some pics but the waters cloudy and i cant get a good picture, maybe tomorrow il start a tank build thread.

[Agu]

Originally Posted by Frogmanx82

I'd just feed pieces of shrimp that the crabs can eat. If you want to build the ammonia capacity prior to adding fish, just add a pinch of fish food everyday as if you were feeding them.

I'm also not a fan of using dead seafood to create a nasty cycle killing off the life I paid for, regular light feedings make more sense.

But to answer your question there is "dry" and "wet" seafood on the market. "Dry" was never treated with any type of preservative and is usually sold frozen (or previously frozen). "Wet" is sold as fresh /never frozen. It's treated with phosphates to retard spoilage. It's called wet because a side effect of the phosphates is that the seafood absorbs water. The upside for the reseller is that the absorbed water (and resultant greater weight) more than offsets the cost of the phosphates.

[ahenson]

One thing you should consider is you made a trade off. Buying 95 percent base rock, you saved money but the cost is it will take more time. If you rush you will have many other problems.
I would spend this time doing research, and reading as much as possible.
As for the base rock, the bacteria is not the problem, it is the lack of bio-diversity. I would try to get more live rock, buy from your local club, live rock is cheap, everyone has a hard time selling it. Consider a refugium and the life it will add.
I don't know your substrate but try to get sand from a few established tanks. Really try to add as much life as possible, Base rock will have more algae problems so just know it will happen and stock slow. The more diverse life in your tank the healthier it will be. Most of these suggestions are budget friendly