fish selections.... 10 gal, going to 55 gal soon.

[Caleb]

that bulb looks like a 25k bulb! I don't know, considering your only running 2 24" bulbs, LEDs might not save much money, your easiest option may just be to stick with what you have, unless of course your just feeling like building something?

I like the idea of those rapidLED's...that will wait till a bigger tank.

Filter clean and new filter medium installed....now to get some ammonia rockin'!

 

[Frosty]

I like the idea of those rapidLED's...that will wait till a bigger tank.

Filter clean and new filter medium installed....now to get some ammonia rockin'!

what about adding the sand and rock?

 

[Caleb]

what about adding the sand and rock?

should I cycle the tank before adding sand?

 

[Frosty]

should I cycle the tank before adding sand?

No, you'll want to drain the water and add your sand and rock, that's where your bacteria are going to live. Try throwing in a small piece of raw shrimp when you add water back in, it will decay and breakdown, and you'll go through the nitrogen cycle faster with something putting off ammonia like that.

 

[Caleb]

No, you'll want to drain the water and add your sand and rock, that's where your bacteria are going to live. Try throwing in a small piece of raw shrimp when you add water back in, it will decay and breakdown, and you'll go through the nitrogen cycle faster with something putting off ammonia like that.

I dumped a whole small container of betta food to kickstart it...would raw shrimp work better? I hate to buy a bunch of raw shrimp, not sure if my fish would eat them.

 

[Frosty]

Stop. Slow down a little. Ok, don't add fish until you cycle is over, it will over stress the fish, if not likely kill them. You can take the shrimp out, and you only need a small piece, you just want something in there to breakdown and create ammonia. You need to test your water periodically through this, assume 6 week period, for an ammonia spike, then nitrite spike, then look for 0 ammonia. Once that happens, add 1 fish, let it sit for a week or two to build up the bacteria population, then you can add a couple more, but slowly, patience is key here. You can use the bacteria in a bottle to jump start it a little, but make sure it's ready. Adding fish to soon is like riding in a car with no windows and everybody smokes, sure you'll survive, but it's not going to be any fun!

 

[Caleb]

Stop. Slow down a little. Ok, don't add fish until you cycle is over, it will over stress the fish, if not likely kill them. You can take the shrimp out, and you only need a small piece, you just want something in there to breakdown and create ammonia. You need to test your water periodically through this, assume 6 week period, for an ammonia spike, then nitrite spike, then look for 0 ammonia. Once that happens, add 1 fish, let it sit for a week or two to build up the bacteria population, then you can add a couple more, but slowly, patience is key here. You can use the bacteria in a bottle to jump start it a little, but make sure it's ready. Adding fish to soon is like riding in a car with no windows and everybody smokes, sure you'll survive, but it's not going to be any fun!

I planned on this tank taking 4 weeks or so to cycle, I'll be keeping tabs on where I am during the cycling. Should I add the sand before the cycle kicks in?

 

[Frosty]

I would, the bacteria will colonize the sand. Personally I would put everything in that I could before I added water. It will make more area for bacteria, and it's easier to stack rock when it's dry.

 

[Caleb]

Started adding sand, going to introduce feeder goldfish to poop up the tank...

 

[HeadlessRoland]

It would be a tad cruel to toss in a living being to sacrifice to die when a piece of dead shrimp will do the same, Caleb.

 

[Caleb]

It would be a tad cruel to toss in a living being to sacrifice to die when a piece of dead shrimp will do the same, Caleb.

My betta fish did just fine, I really don't want to spend money on raw shrimp my fish may or may not eat. I'm sure it can't be any worse then 200 goldfish in a 40 gal breeder at LFS. In a sense, I'm removing these fish from that horrible environment, and he won't have to worry about getting eaten by a bigger fish.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

My betta fish did just fine, I really don't want to spend money on raw shrimp my fish may or may not eat. I'm sure it can't be any worse then 200 goldfish in a 40 gal breeder at LFS. In a sense, I'm removing these fish from that horrible environment, and he won't have to worry about getting eaten by a bigger fish.

Bettas also have a labyrinth, meaning they can breathe air directly from the surface of the water, which is why they can withstand higher ammonia levels that would kill other fish. A true nitrogen cycle in a tank WILL kill everything living within the tank when it cycles. Ammonia WILL spike high enough to kill everything before the de-nitrifying bacteria colonize the tank. The shrimp is not for your fish to eat, but to kickstart decay and to introduce ammonia into the system. It does the goldfish no good to be rescued from overcrowding when it winds up dead in your home. I really don't know how to spell this out any more clearly. I have nothing else to say. Good luck.

 

[Frosty]

Bettas also have a labyrinth, meaning they can breathe air directly from the surface of the water, which is why they can withstand higher ammonia levels that would kill other fish. A true nitrogen cycle in a tank WILL kill everything living within the tank when it cycles. Ammonia WILL spike high enough to kill everything before the de-nitrifying bacteria colonize the tank. The shrimp is not for your fish to eat, but to kickstart decay and to introduce ammonia into the system. It does the goldfish no good to be rescued from overcrowding when it winds up dead in your home. I really don't know how to spell this out any more clearly. I have nothing else to say. Good luck.

Caleb I really have to echo what Roland said. It used to be common practice to use cheap fish to cycle a tank, but it's not really needed. You can put the shrimp in on a plate if you'd like, and just remove it when your cycle is over. However, it is your tank, and you do as you see fit. I'm not going to not be your friend or judge you for it, it just wouldn't be the direction I would personally go.

 

[MikeDVB]

Wow... I am going to have to read up on cycling a tank - never knew of such a thing.

 

[Frosty]

Wow... I am going to have to read up on cycling a tank - never knew of such a thing.

It's really pretty simple mike, and yet, pretty involved to. It can get pretty scientific, but really here's how it works, bacteria A converts deadly ammonia into less deadly nitrite, bacteria B converts somewhat deadly nitrite into mostly harmless nitrate. That's where you come in. We do water changes to keep the nitrate low, it's not really harmful to the fish, but algae will grow like crazy with high nitrates. In an ideal world (tank) ammonia and nitrite will always be 0 because we haven't overstocked our tanks, over fed, and we added fish slowly waiting on the bacteria to colonize to handle the fish add to the tank, but it's not a perfect world

Damn im im insightful when I'm half asleep...

 

[Caleb]

Bettas also have a labyrinth, meaning they can breathe air directly from the surface of the water, which is why they can withstand higher ammonia levels that would kill other fish. A true nitrogen cycle in a tank WILL kill everything living within the tank when it cycles. Ammonia WILL spike high enough to kill everything before the de-nitrifying bacteria colonize the tank. The shrimp is not for your fish to eat, but to kickstart decay and to introduce ammonia into the system. It does the goldfish no good to be rescued from overcrowding when it winds up dead in your home. I really don't know how to spell this out any more clearly. I have nothing else to say. Good luck.

Caleb I really have to echo what Roland said. It used to be common practice to use cheap fish to cycle a tank, but it's not really needed. You can put the shrimp in on a plate if you'd like, and just remove it when your cycle is over. However, it is your tank, and you do as you see fit. I'm not going to not be your friend or judge you for it, it just wouldn't be the direction I would personally go.

Suppose you are right....any way to just buy a shrimp instead of a whole package?

 

[MikeDVB]

It's really pretty simple mike, and yet, pretty involved to. It can get pretty scientific, but really here's how it works, bacteria A converts deadly ammonia into less deadly nitrite, bacteria B converts somewhat deadly nitrite into mostly harmless nitrate. That's where you come in. We do water changes to keep the nitrate low, it's not really harmful to the fish, but algae will grow like crazy with high nitrates. In an ideal world (tank) ammonia and nitrite will always be 0 because we haven't overstocked our tanks, over fed, and we added fish slowly waiting on the bacteria to colonize to handle the fish add to the tank, but it's not a perfect world

Damn im im insightful when I'm half asleep...

Thank you - taking notes .

 

[Frosty]

Suppose you are right....any way to just buy a shrimp instead of a whole package?

Krogers sells fresh shrimp at the meat and seafood counter, I'm sure you can just buy 1, heck if they have a small piece they cut off or something they might just give it to you... Or you can have grilled shrimp for dinner?

 

[Frosty]

Thank you - taking notes .

If you have more questions just ask, I'm happy to help and my wife gets tired of me trying to "help" her...

 

[Caleb]

Krogers sells fresh shrimp at the meat and seafood counter, I'm sure you can just buy 1, heck if they have a small piece they cut off or something they might just give it to you... Or you can have grilled shrimp for dinner?

Sorry if I stepped on any of your toes concerning cycling the tank...I never thought about going to Kroger and buying just one shrimp. I'll pass on shrimp dinner..