Catalina ocean water cycling question

[rx2life]

Hi all!

 

I have a 28G JBJ LED PRO Tank. I set it up yesterday with 40 lbs caribsea live sand and catalina live ocean water. I checked water parameters today and all looks balanced. Do I still have to throw a frozen shrimp in here and wait for a few days? I plan on adding live rocks next week. Then a CUC 2 weeks after that from Reef cleaners.

 

 

Catalina Ocean water

 

 

Thanks!

[gottaGOpoop]

add LR before you add the shrimp. The LR is what holds your beneficial bacteria, most of it anyways. Not saying you can't cycle a tank with no LR, but it'll take a lot more time than it would if you had LR.

[aquatect]

The parameters will look great until there's some bioload on the tank.

 

When you get your rock introduce some ammonia into the tank to kickstart the cycle. You probably won't be able to add a CUC that quickly. The tank should fully cycle before you add them.

 

Do your research on the cycle first. Every tank is different, you can't plan out when it will be complete. Do you have a liquid test kit to watch the cycle progress?

[rx2life]

I do have a test kit. Thank you guys for the replies.

[godfathernikki]

I do have a test kit. Thank you guys for the replies.

I'd use ammonia if you can find it instead of shrimp. Shrimp may make your house stinky and adds as bunch of unnessecary gunk to your tank as it decomposes. It also takes a bit longer.

[longbeach]

Or you could just add beneficial bacteria.