Cocktail shrimp for cycling?
- Thread starter AngelThoughts
- Start date
The reason for shrimp for SW is the shrimp produces less phosphates while it decays. And I believe the reason for not usuing amonia is just that we are just a little ok alot paranoid that the amonia source might still have some small traces of other chemicals in it. When you consider most SW tanks have $2,000 + before even putting in a fish you can see why we are a little careful and anal about some stuff.
Another thing is that most people use uncured Live rock to cycle a sw tank. Since alot of the living alage ect dies off durring shipping and creates a amonia spike so no need to add amonia or a shrimp.
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I think it has more to do with tradition than anything else. Salties have been cycling tanks with shrimp since before the whole ammonia thing got started in FW. And a lot of them aren't going to change their way of doing things now…
Ammonia from a bottle isn't adding in phosphates. If you get straight ammonia with water (no detergents), it doesn't have anything more potentially harmful than a hunk of rotting flesh. The nitrogen-eaters aren't the only ones coming and setting up shop on that carcass. After two or three weeks, when its good and ripe, would you take it out and eat it? If not, then what did you add to the tank? Would you take a glass of that water for drinking?
It seems mighty strange to be adding ammonia to a fishtank, but it works and its safe (at the right dosage).
Ammonia from a bottle isn't adding in phosphates. If you get straight ammonia with water (no detergents), it doesn't have anything more potentially harmful than a hunk of rotting flesh. The nitrogen-eaters aren't the only ones coming and setting up shop on that carcass. After two or three weeks, when its good and ripe, would you take it out and eat it? If not, then what did you add to the tank? Would you take a glass of that water for drinking?
It seems mighty strange to be adding ammonia to a fishtank, but it works and its safe (at the right dosage).
My roomate and girlfriend both used a shrimp when starting their SW tanks, I told them both about just adding ammonia but they didn't want to listen to me. Neither one of them have very expensive setups. The decaying shrimp is one of the nastiest things I have ever witnessed.
Would bio-spira work in a SW tank?
Would bio-spira work in a SW tank?
I could be wrong, but I think different bacteria are involved in the SW Cycle from the ones in the FW Cycle.
wetman suggested just peein in your tank....and is probably hoping noone would bring it up again 
(no one liked the idea 
)
(no one liked the idea )