Input on a tank cycling

T

Tag

I need some input on a tank cycling?

I have a 120 with about a 40 gallon sump, but with the rock displacement (100lbs) total water volume is 133 gallons.

History:
24 may - added dried macro rock, with 73 gallons of fresh salt mix and 60 gallons of used tank water from my 80 gallon - no sand. I just let it run and break in without adding any cocktail shrimp, because I was waiting for my skimmer.
19 June - added skimmer
20 June - added two large pieces of raw cocktail shrimp to the tank
22 June - tested ammonia "0ppm"
23 June - tested ammonia "0ppm"
24 June - removed the shrimp; smelled really-really bad!!!!!!!
24 June - tested ammonia "oppm", nitrite "oppm", and nitrate "0ppm"

My question is: My tank ran a month with out added shrimp, and then let shrimp set in the tank for 5 days and I am not picking up anything on the test - what gives?? Will ammonia take longer to show up or maybe adding 60 gallons of used tank water in the beginning had something to do with this?

BTW - my test kits are new, just bought saturday and are "API"


Any thoughts..........

Thx,
Tag
 
Hmmm toughy.... My first thought would be your use of some seasoned water started the cycle and it finished by the time you added the shrimp. However, if it was me, I would add a small cheap fish that I planned on keeping to the tank. Adding some shrimp should have kicked things off, but sometimes it goes fast and you miss it.

Just proceed cautiously since you never actually saw an ammonia build up.
 
I think you simply missed the cycle. marcorock doesn't have the die off rate of unseasoned LR and seasoned water really helped also. I used majority Marco rock and seasoned water also when I setup my tankand my cycle was very very short also. Do the inexpensive fish first and see how it goes before adding coral in there.

Cheers,
 
Thanks for the insights guys.

**Edit** Well I got a reading of 2ppm on the ammonia today, so I guess it finally decided kick off.. Now I must wait :wink:

Thanks again for your help......
Tag
 
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