Proper way to cycle a shrimp aquarium??? Help.

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hernandez.j91

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Oct 16, 2010
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Just started two new ten gallon aquariums yesterday. Bought two bags of shrimp stratum (FLuval) and added it as the tanks substrate. Filled it with declorinated water (used prime) and added two sponge filters that have been in an old tank for about two months. Also have some moss in the tank and a few pink ramhorn snails were added and a heater. They are both running now and was wondering how to cycle it? How long should it be, and what my readings should be once its ready to introduce shrimps. how many water changes should be done? Ordered a test kit that should arrive any day now. Any help is appreciated. Thank you. Here is a picture of the tank set up. (Sorry for the bad pictures, they were taken on a cell phone).

my tanks.jpg my tanks 2.jpg
 
jetajockey

jetajockey

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I would add more plants. Shrimp have very little bioload but I would give the tank some time to build up biofilm and get all kinds of little critters in there for them to munch on.

If you are using seasoned filters, I'd just give it a few days, maybe toss in some other biofilm covered stuff from your other tank, and let it rock. Just remember not to overfeed them, and keep testing the water periodically for at least the first 2 months.

Personally I wouldn't bother fishless cycling a planted shrimp tank, but that's just me.
 
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hernandez.j91

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I currently have two fish in each tank hoping that it will help. Planning on getting some more plants in there. Wondering how often I should do water changes while its cycling?
 
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hernandez.j91

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Thank you for that tip. As soon as the kit comes, I will post the results to see if its going well. How much of a water change would you suggest?
 
NoMoreToys

NoMoreToys

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I stood up a 2.5g shrimp tank. The tank is right next to my 30g so I just sucked the water from it. Added a couple of lava rocks, plants, air pump and threw them in. No losses and lots of molting going on. I just put in a really small Peppered Cory yesterday. My question is - what to you feed the wicked small shrimp. A couple of them aren't much bigger than a mosquito!
 
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hernandez.j91

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Oct 16, 2010
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Got the test kit in. According to it one of my tanks has 0 ppm of ammonia 0 ppm of nitrite and about 160 ppm of nitrate. Its only been running for a couple of days, would that be normal?
One of my other tanks has o ppm of ammonia nitrite and nitrate= normal?
 
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purokogi

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Jul 26, 2010
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wow.. 160ppm.. that is a lot.. Mine usually never go above 10-15. My tanks are planted though.
 
Buff

Buff

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You need some more plants, hernandez. Since your light looks pretty low, I'd be looking for moss and ferns. Lots of moss and ferns... If you can get sufficient light to the bottom of the tank, I'd try some dwarf sag and/or pygmy chain sword. I have dwarf sag growing in a 2.5 with only a 20W desk lamp.
 
Buff

Buff

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NoMoreToys said:
I stood up a 2.5g shrimp tank. The tank is right next to my 30g so I just sucked the water from it. Added a couple of lava rocks, plants, air pump and threw them in. No losses and lots of molting going on. I just put in a really small Peppered Cory yesterday. My question is - what to you feed the wicked small shrimp. A couple of them aren't much bigger than a mosquito!
Click to expand...
Make sure there's algae in the tank...
 
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