About to Start Cycling.

[robbrouse]

Hello All.

My wife and I are about to start the cycling of our 56 gallon tank. I have read a lot about buying a scrimp to start teh cycling. I have always used Ammonia (pure, nothing added) for my fresh water setups and was wondering why this would not (or no one talked about it) for Saltwater.

Anyhow thanks for having me I've learned a lot and hope to add some of my own in the future

Robb.

 

[Smitty]

Hello and welcome to the site...glad to have you aboard. I've heard stories of people using ammonia (even urine) to jump start their cycle. I guess using a piece of shrimp guarantees the bacteria has something to eat to grow quicker.

 

[JustinsReefTank]

+1 Smitty

 

[robbrouse]

That makes since thanks for the replay.

 

[Old_Moe]

Welcome and Good Luck!

 

[little_fish]

Most people use a shrimp because its a whole lot easier to buy, but pure ammonia works just as well.

 

[robbrouse]

So of I were to use ammonia how much. Will it kill off the live rock? In my freshwater tank I put enough it to reach 3 to 5 PPM and then just waited it out.

 

[little_fish]

no, because the live rock should have the bacteria on it that can process the ammonia - otherwise it wouldnt be live rock. What you want by adding the ammonia to grow the amount of bacteria in the tank, the ammonia is basically food for them.

And Im not sure how much ammonia to add, i would probably follow the same procedure you used on the freshwater tank.

 

[robbrouse]

Sounds great. Hope to finish my plumbing this weekend and get my lie rock to go with my dead rock next weekend and then start the cycle. Thanks for all the comments and advice.

Robb

 

[OceanCrazy]

Would a cube of frozen blood worm work for cycling?

 

[little_fish]

yep!!

 

[Bifferwine]

Yes, anything that will rot in there and produce ammonia. You could probably even use bacon! :lol:

 

[OceanCrazy]

When is it best to start testing the water?

 

[OceanCrazy]

Whoops just read the first topic all my Qs are answered there ty.

 

[Nonfamous]

Yes, anything that will rot in there and produce ammonia. You could probably even use bacon! :lol:

And waste a perfectly good piece of BACON!?!?!?!?!?! How dare you? :frustrat:

(I love bacon! I have bacon chocolate bars, a bacon lollypop and even bacon flavored dental floss! No you didn't misread that..... DENTAL FLOSS!!! I loves me some bacon!)