Quick cycle question

[BlackFish]

Hello all, I just set up my Biocube 29 with 20lb live sand and 20lb of live rock. Should I still add a piece of raw table shrimp to aid the cycle? If so do I leave it in forever or for a certain length of time? And what size should the piece be?
Thank you in advance for any and all help.

 

[Waters]

Yes, you want to add a source on ammonia to verify that the cycle is moving in the right direction. I would put it in a mesh bag and keep it in there until it starts to fall apart. The bag will keep everything contained so it doesn't make a mess. One table shrimp should be fine.

 

[brandon429]

Blackfish
http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

check out the title to that thread, its your question written as a sentence

if your description about the rock is accurate, your tank was as cycled one minute after you set up the tank as it will be in two more years in your home. this sounds insane but our hobby doesn't differentiate between two completely different types of cycle depending on two types of rock. we found that if you go per grouping of rock, a cycle is finite and predictable down to the week it will be finished, and some systems use no cycling at all, they just go.

 

[BlackFish]

Thank you

 

[brandon429]

just so this doesn't seem as crazy, all these vendors will be using the skip cycle method to get their goods into this giant marine tank convention and not have to show up 40 days early:


https://reefbuilders.com/2016/04/18/reefapalooza-breaks-the-mold-of-marine-aquarium-presentations/

full reefs are going to be on display there...either they are using reef magic or we can all just do that (skip cycle) any ol time we please.

there are painted live rocks that look real but are not cycled, in that case shrimp them for sure or use bottle ammonia and the specific testing mentioned.