started my cycle

[newreefer55]

We started up our 75 gallon and have a question. Am I suppose to run my protein skimmer at the beginning? I read on one of the forums that yes to run it but now I see on some others that ask about the smell when putting the shrimp in to start the cycle and that person was told that he shouldn't be running the skimmer. We've got 5lb ov live rock rubble in the sump and 50 lb of cured live rock in the tank along with some dead rock. I put the shrimp in yesterday and noticed tonight that the kitchen is starting to smell. Is it the shrimp or the live rock?

 

[clownster]

The smell factor I'd say maybe both. As far as the skimmer, I've heard both ways. I did not have mine at first.

 

[newreefer55]

so I'm not hurting my cycle by running the skimmer?

 

[jamespias]

I ran mine during cycling to break it in. It didn't seem to hurt anything...it didn't seem to pull much out either. But it was ready to go by the time the cycle finished. I've read a lot of opinions on it, and it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

 

[newreefer55]

thanks for the info

 

[Ted]

I ran my skimmer from day one.

 

[newreefer55]

Have a question regarding the cycle. Our ammonia levels spiked yesterday and the water is cloudy. My concern is the Kenya trees and hammer coral that came with the live rock we bought from a guy on Craigslist. They have been thriving and have even multipled since we got them but last night all the trees were laying on their sides. Will this spike in ammonia and nitrites kill them? I took the hose out that had the shrimp as it was dissolved. Just waiting for levels to go to zero