Tank cycling

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 01:46 PM

Drop raw shrimp into my 75g tank to start cycling, is it common for the water o not look as clear. Drop shrimp in four days ago and water looks a littile cloudy. Should I add carbon to filter sock? Should I run skimmer? Or is this normal?

Cymonous · 11/15/2012, 02:09 PM

You can run your filtration, but I wouldn't start the skimmer yet. I would start testing your water for Ammonia. If there is ammonia, you can remove the shrimp.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 02:16 PM

tested last night and had a reading of 1.0 ppm, should i remove the shrimp at this point?

Fizz71 · 11/15/2012, 02:43 PM

1 shrimp in a 75g? I'd like to see a higher spike, but that might be all you get. I'd pull it and watch for nitrites.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 02:49 PM

No 2 shrimp in the 75. Should I wait for it the go higher? How high, of course would be the next question.

bnumair · 11/15/2012, 03:03 PM

u can pull the shrimp out. u got ammonia cycle already started. adding more ammonia will only prolong the bacterial growth to overcome the ammonia. remember bacteria can only grow in same proportion as ammonia produced.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 03:21 PM

Thanks guy, as stated early, will cycling cause the water to become a little cloudy?

Fizz71 · 11/15/2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rerr001

Thanks guy, as stated early, will cycling cause the water to become a little cloudy?

Highly possible as you have rotting seafood floating about.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 03:36 PM

yea fizz, my thoughts! My first SW tank...loads to learn!

Ratchnick · 11/15/2012, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnumair

u can pull the shrimp out. u got ammonia cycle already started. adding more ammonia will only prolong the bacterial growth to overcome the ammonia. remember bacteria can only grow in same proportion as ammonia produced.

On this note, if you pull the shrimp out, and the bacteria eat all the ammonia, they will start to starve. In an established tank, ammonia is produced by fish, corals and decaying food, the ammonia is eaten right away and thus you have a reading of 0.
If you take the shrimp out, your ammonia goes down, and you have no source of ammonia your bacteria will start to die off. Then when you put a fish in there, your ammonia spikes leaving you stumped. I guess what I'm trying to say is be ready to replace your ammonia source. This happened to me and it was frustrating to cycle a tank then deal with a fish in an uncycled tank.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 03:57 PM

Ratchnick, should I leave the shrimp in a little longer to get higher ammonia level? I heard of people "ghost feeding" fish flakes, geuss that is the way they keep the ammonia level up for the bacteria to feed.

bnumair · 11/15/2012, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratchnick

On this note, if you pull the shrimp out, and the bacteria eat all the ammonia, they will start to starve. In an established tank, ammonia is produced by fish, corals and decaying food, the ammonia is eaten right away and thus you have a reading of 0.
If you take the shrimp out, your ammonia goes down, and you have no source of ammonia your bacteria will start to die off. Then when you put a fish in there, your ammonia spikes leaving you stumped. I guess what I'm trying to say is be ready to replace your ammonia source. This happened to me and it was frustrating to cycle a tank then deal with a fish in an uncycled tank.

that is true and thus ghost feeding comes in play. after u get an ammonia spike initially remove the shrimp and start ghost feeding every 3 days. keeping enough bacteria alive to sustain a bio load of a fish or 2 when added after cycle.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 04:09 PM

For a 75g tank, how much do you "ghost feed"? A pinch a day...more?

bnumair · 11/15/2012, 04:53 PM

pinch every other day is fine.

rerr001 · 11/15/2012, 05:08 PM

ok thanks

11/15/2012, 01:46 PM	#1
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	Tank cycling Drop raw shrimp into my 75g tank to start cycling, is it common for the water o not look as clear. Drop shrimp in four days ago and water looks a littile cloudy. Should I add carbon to filter sock? Should I run skimmer? Or is this normal? Last edited by rerr001; 11/15/2012 at 01:47 PM. Reason: Spelling

11/15/2012, 02:09 PM	#2
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	You can run your filtration, but I wouldn't start the skimmer yet. I would start testing your water for Ammonia. If there is ammonia, you can remove the shrimp. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

11/15/2012, 02:43 PM	#4
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	1 shrimp in a 75g? I'd like to see a higher spike, but that might be all you get. I'd pull it and watch for nitrites. __________________ --Fizz Current Tank Info: Current system is 8x2x2 240g peninsula setup with a single "chamber" 100g sump in the basement with an RDSB. All corals are 100% home grown from frags of fellow reefers (low natural reef impact).

11/15/2012, 03:03 PM	#6
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	u can pull the shrimp out. u got ammonia cycle already started. adding more ammonia will only prolong the bacterial growth to overcome the ammonia. remember bacteria can only grow in same proportion as ammonia produced. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

11/15/2012, 04:53 PM	#14
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	pinch every other day is fine. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

11/15/2012, 02:16 PM	#3
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	tested last night and had a reading of 1.0 ppm, should i remove the shrimp at this point?

11/15/2012, 02:49 PM	#5
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	No 2 shrimp in the 75. Should I wait for it the go higher? How high, of course would be the next question.

11/15/2012, 03:21 PM	#7
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	Thanks guy, as stated early, will cycling cause the water to become a little cloudy?

11/15/2012, 03:36 PM	#9
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	yea fizz, my thoughts! My first SW tank...loads to learn!

11/15/2012, 03:57 PM	#11
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	Ratchnick, should I leave the shrimp in a little longer to get higher ammonia level? I heard of people "ghost feeding" fish flakes, geuss that is the way they keep the ammonia level up for the bacteria to feed.

11/15/2012, 04:09 PM	#13
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	For a 75g tank, how much do you "ghost feed"? A pinch a day...more?

11/15/2012, 05:08 PM	#15
rerr001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 116	ok thanks