toss a shrimp?

B

bluejay

I have a 125 gal. Trying to cycle the tank. 17 days ago I added 110 lbs. of carribean UNCURED live rock, which had been out of the water for only 8 hours. The seller in florida had it in his tank for 5 days. My amonia level is still .50 ppm. No nitrites and no nitrates. 3 days ago I added a tablespoon of flake food but still no rise in amonia. Should I toss a shrimp?
 
I would try a damsel first :twisted:

But really, they are usually cheaper, and less sensitive than a shrimp.

You may have missed the spike - but what are the other readings like? And does the rock look / smell okay - not like rotten eggs?
 
The nitrites are 0 nitrates are 0 always have been 0. The rock never smelled bad, I think that it was so fresh that nothing really died off much. Should I check anything else? How many damsals do you recomend?
 
I would recommend ZERO damsels. It's so unnecessary. Not to mention when they get bigger they will be aggressive. Then you'll have to try to get them out of there. Too much work for me.
Jay throw a raw cocktail shrimp in there and be done with it. Besides you can cook up the shrimp that you don't use and have a great meal :lol:

BTW Are you using a fresh test kit and what brand?
 
I agree with no damsels, EVER. They are such a pain to deal with later. You want to get the ammonia started for sure, like I heard a guy tell someone at MACNA once, "go have a few beers and then get up on a ladder and let er go into the tank, that'll be all the ammonia you will need".
Now I did not do it that way, I had 170lbs. of uncured rock, but I bet it would work.
:lol:
 
My 4 stripe damsel is a great citizen. He actually schools with the Clowns (hahaha).

But yep. Damsels can be mean. I've heard lots of people peeing in the tank but I just threw some food and freeze dried blood worms in.
-Catherine
 
why subject a fish to the pain of being cycled. get a starter ammonia kit i used Nitromax Marine.

i am against using fish as a GREAT way to cycle tanks. is this not another way of torturing an animal, espically it being fish...i thought we were in this hobby to enjoy fish, not use them as a way to cycle a tank.

i am off of my high horse now. i just do not understand why :sad:
 
I used my 4 stripe damsel early in our cycle. When we got him he didn't have his 4th stripe. Most of his tail was missing and his dorsal fin was half gone and ragged from being beat up by another fish.

From day one (even though it was during a cycle) he started healing with no help from me. He couldn't have been hurting THAT much if he was healing and eating well.
 
i am not saying that they are not strong fish, but Amm. and the trates hurt fish... so i do not see that putting a fish in this situation is helping the fish. i am glad yours healed great, but you are putting a fish in a environment that is not healthy, and know to kill fish.
 
It was healthier than the enviornment he was previously in, hence, the growth.

We tested our water daily and found it safe enough for him. Some people have LARGE spikes that are unsuitable and throw the fish in expecting him to die anyway. That, to me, is not okay.


I've found that many times a tank going through a cycle has much better water quality than MANY LFS tanks. At least the water the fish is going in to is better and will continue to get much better as time goes on.

Not to mention your first fish should probably be a pretty hardy guy who likely doesn't mind a little change in his water.
 
Just toss in a cocktail shrimp and don't worry about it. No livestock involved. If you still don't see your ammonia spike then the rock is cured enough and it is processing the ammonia no problem.
 
See, I knew the damsel would be a hot topic! LOL

Truly, a cocktail shrimp would be best.

Or, if you have someone nearby that also has a tank, take some of their waste water from a water change.

Or a cup of cycled sand.
 
My amonia level is still .50 ppm. No nitrites and no nitrates. 3 days ago I added a tablespoon of flake food but still no rise in amonia. said:
Your tank is still early in its cycle it sounds like. You have ammoina in the tank, theres no reason to add more. Give it time, and this ammonia will turn to Nitrite, then to nitrate. It can take some time. The first 2-3 weeks are usually the ammonia cycle going up then dropping off, then in the last week or so you will see your nitrite spike then drop quickly. At this point you should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and a little bit of nitrate.

I'd just be patient and leave it be. Other suggestions above are very good as well, such as some live sand from someone, or a piece of coctail shrimp or something. If it was mine I'd just let it be for a month though.
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