sail24 Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 Started my tank 1 week ago. 8lbs. of LR. 6lbs. LS. nitrate 50 nitrite 0 PH 8.2 KH 300 3 blue leg crabs, 1 yellowtail blue damsel now decesed. add to tank on tues. 3/30/04. Add 1 shrimp monkey(cleaner shrimp)yesterday. cannot find today. Help........ Link to comment
fishtankbabe Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Sounds like you're moving too fast, you shouldn't have that many animals in there after only a week. What's your ammonia reading? Link to comment
AZDesertRat Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 You should not add any livestock for at least a couple of weeks. Even if you used "live sand" and cured live rock you are still going to go through a cycle although it may not be as severe as a fullblown start from scratch cycle. This includes fish and clean up crews as some snails, crabs and shrimp are actually more sensitive than fish. Search for the dead shrimp method. Link to comment
sail24 Posted April 2, 2004 Author Share Posted April 2, 2004 Don't know. Only have a freshwater kit. I will get one ASAP. Thanks Link to comment
sail24 Posted April 2, 2004 Author Share Posted April 2, 2004 Shrimp monkey is still alive. Blends in with LV hard to see. Does anyone know anything about these shrimp? LFS told me they were cleaner shrimp. Link to comment
slickchick Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 One key word: PATIENCE! I really pays to wait and wait and then when you think you have waited long enough...wait again. It is hard to wait but you will have more success in the end. Link to comment
Cellenzweig Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Agree with slickchick... In this hobby only BAD things happen quickly! Link to comment
TroyT Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 You should only have a box of rocks with water circulating for at least four weeks. However, that is not the case, it sounds like an LFS took advantage of another person. First thing I would do, is make I sure I had all the test kits that I need, test the water everyday through the cycle since you have livestock inside. When I noticed things going high on the test, do a 15% water change. More than likely your shrimp and others will die. They are sensitive to the environment. Good luck and next time you set up your tank, just let it run for a month before adding livestock. HTH Link to comment
Funkymonkey Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Originally posted by sail24 Shrimp monkey is still alive. Blends in with LV hard to see. Does anyone know anything about these shrimp? LFS told me they were cleaner shrimp. Wow, did your LFS sell you everything at once? Find a new LFS man. They obviously don't care about their animals if they let someone put livestock in a brand spanking new system. Link to comment
sail24 Posted April 3, 2004 Author Share Posted April 3, 2004 I know everyone is saying that I am going too fast. I just read an article that said the Cycle doesn't start untill fish are added? What's up? Link to comment
AZDesertRat Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Research the dead shrimp method like I said before. You need something that will produce ammonia which in turn feeds the nitrosomonas bacteria. This in turn produces nitrite as a byproduct which feeds nitrobacter which produces nitrates. Until you have completed the above cycle your tank can be extremely toxic to whatever inhabits it. A dead shrimp decomposing will get you started and will not sacrifice livestock. I know what people say about opinions but a lot of us on this and other forums have been down that road many times before. I also do not recommend doing water changes during your cycle nor do I recommend lighting for the first week or two as it encourages an algae bloom. Go to www.waltsmith.com and read his method of curing rock and cycling a tank. Link to comment
Cellenzweig Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 The only way a fish starts your cycle is after it dies and starts to break down. The raw shrimp does the same, without killing a fish. that is not the case, it sounds like an LFS took advantage of another person. First thing I would do, is make I sure I had all the test kits that I need, test the water everyday through the cycle since you have livestock inside. Not only should you get tests, you should get GOOD tests. Crappy test kits are not always accurate. I suggest Seachem or Salifert - but just so you know they are expensive. Link to comment
Orange Crush Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 i'd go ahead and get crappy tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. You'll only need them for the beginning of your tank's life generally, so silly to spend too much on them. go to http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/ and read every last one. and cellenzweig is not quite right on one other point: The only way a fish starts your cycle is after it dies and starts to break down. The raw shrimp does the same, without killing a fish. Actually, the fish method of cycling involves fish waste starting the cycle. But think of swimming in a pool of your own waste with no septic system: this is why your fish died. Live rock and sand is all you need, and all you should have, to start your cycle. Link to comment
Cellenzweig Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 You don't test your tank regularily? Why even buy them?? If something weird happens in my tank, I immediately do tests. If my coral, fish or inverts are acting strange, i do tests. It's always a good idea to have GOOD test kits at all times. It can make the difference between saving your tank (because you can diagnose exactly what's wrong) and losing everything. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.