Hi I'm not totally new to the hobby but it is my first time cycling with shrimp. So my question is, when do I take the shrimp out of the tank? I've had the shrimp in the tank for 2 days now and my ammonia is over 2 ppm. I couldn't find any for sure answers on Google. Also, after I take the shrimp out what should I be looking for, just the nitrates to spike? It's also worth mentioning I'm cycling a bare bottom tank with base rock, so should I add some sort of bacterial supplement like bio spira? Thanks in advance.
Shrimp cycle question
- Thread starter daverush95
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4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
I always use biospira, I leave the shrimp in and dose biospira for my own tanks.
You can leave the shrimp in. If you take it out you will need to feed the bacteria when your ammonia drops. You want to grow enough bacteria to process ammonia and nitrite quick enough so when you do add fish it will not effect them.
You look for nitrite. It will build up, all of a sudden it will drop to 0 when the nitrite to nitrate bacteria have grown.
You can add bacteria if you want to try and speed the cycle.
I cycled my tank similar but I used DR tims and a fish that perished out of my freshwater system. Took about 3 weeks before the animal was completely gone. If I remember correctly nitrates were ~30 ammonia and nitrite were 0.
Thanks for all the answers so far! So what I'm gathering is leave it in there until it decomposes then start testing for my nitrites and nitrates? Also if I throw my lights on during this process it should avoid the whole diatom and GHA outbreak right?
I personally would remove the shrimp now because as it begins to decay it will release nutrients into the water which may fuel nuisance algae growth down the road.
Just ghost feed flake once or twice a week, and wait for the ammonia to come down to zero. Once you see zero ammonia + a high nitrate reading you'll know your tank is cycled. Dosing a "bacteria in a bottle" product may help speed up the cycle.
So question in a question. My ammonia is gone and I have nitrite through the roof but I also have super high nitrate. Is this bad or is it normal? I just did a 50 percent water change to try and bring the levels down. Any other suggestions?
The bacteria that convert Nitrite to Nitrate are a bit slower to develop in our reef tanks. Give them a bit more time. What did your water change do to the levels?
Doesn't seem like it did a thing honestly
How long was it after the water change that you tested?
50% should reduce Nitrite.
Testing procedure for nitrate will not show true figures sometimes.
Per Randy:
With many kits, a little nitrite can read as a lot of nitrate. As much as 100:1 or more (1 ppm nitrite reads as 100 ppm nitrate is some kits).
50% should reduce Nitrite.
Testing procedure for nitrate will not show true figures sometimes.
Per Randy:
With many kits, a little nitrite can read as a lot of nitrate. As much as 100:1 or more (1 ppm nitrite reads as 100 ppm nitrate is some kits).
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
FWIW nitrite can stall with the test kit pegged until you remove the shrimp and stop adding food. After it drops down it usually stays down. just part of establishing an tank.
FWIW I can't really recommend when to remove the shrimp. I never used the shrimp.
What I do is start the tank with macro algaes like chaeto. That interrupts the ammonia-> nitrite->nitrate cycle as the algae will consume the ammonia first. Then as the bacteria builds up, there is less and less ammonia and the macros will be forced to consume nitrAtes for nitrogen.
So what I do is add the macros. Wait a week to insure they are thriving. Then add a single male molly and wait a week with no food being added. After that start feeding 1 flake per day. Once the molly has lived 3 weeks the tank should be ready for the marine only fish.
But that's just me and my .02
FWIW I can't really recommend when to remove the shrimp. I never used the shrimp.
What I do is start the tank with macro algaes like chaeto. That interrupts the ammonia-> nitrite->nitrate cycle as the algae will consume the ammonia first. Then as the bacteria builds up, there is less and less ammonia and the macros will be forced to consume nitrAtes for nitrogen.
So what I do is add the macros. Wait a week to insure they are thriving. Then add a single male molly and wait a week with no food being added. After that start feeding 1 flake per day. Once the molly has lived 3 weeks the tank should be ready for the marine only fish.
But that's just me and my .02
