when do you add a decay source to a newly cycling tank?

zoechance · Jan 29, 2013

Yes another cycling question. Sorry but I am confused as to when to add a little dead shrimp to my tank and how much (I have frozen mysis?) I finally started my 90g added 2 inches "live" sand and don't have a lot of rock cause someone is building me some aquascape pieces (will be dry rock). Have about 15-20# of LR from my old FOWLR tank. I don't think these rocks have much of any biodiversity in terms of worms and such but I hope they have at least the right bacteria to start my tank as my FOWLR tank is OK. thanks for any help!

i guess I won't mess with the refugium and getting a live sand/refugium starter pack from IPSF until I have the surface area of rock in my tank? oops I asked 2 questions..... when would be a good time to order one of the jump start diversity packs?
thanks

ritter6788 · Jan 29, 2013

I'd wait until you get all the rock you are going to add to the tank and kick off a good cycle then. If you do it now you'll likely start another cycle when you add the dry rock.

jgraz · Jan 29, 2013

Where is the dry rock coming from? If you have rock in the tank now you need to add something for the bacteria to feed off of. Adding the shrimp now will be fine. you could always add more later. You don't want mysis though. It will work but you will need quite a bit of it. go to the grocery store and buy yourself a raw shrimp. All you need is one. find a place to put it in the tank where you can get it out. I tied mine to a piece of fishing line. Just leave it there, it will get puffy and white and delicious looking, just leave it there. In a few weeks it will probably be gone, your rock will have arrived and will just all will be good.

zoechance · Jan 29, 2013

thanks! you guys are the best! love the description of the raw shrimp jgraz.... rock is coming from a LFS from a guy pretty talented at aquascaping. he's gonna create 2 structures for me for my soon to be beautiful corals!! i am in no rush for the cycle so don't care if I get a cycle now and start another in a week or so when i get the other rock... going to get me a shrimp!