Cycling question

[Solastsummer]

So after reading many different methods of cyclying i decided i would do 50% cured live rock then 50% uncured live rock to create an amonia spike, but everyone seems to suggest to add a dead shrimp or something, well the thing is the only LFS within 100 miles of me, i would never EVER add anything to my tank from them, do you think how im doing is alright or should i run to wal-mart and get a ghost shrimp and try it that way?

 

[Catpicklesdog]

Have you got any frozen prawns/shrimps in your freezer. That's what I use or get one from a grocery store. It's just to start the ammonia that's all.

 

[Solastsummer]

so just grocrery store shrimp will work? when my live rock came in, (I ordered it online) i made sure not to scrub off the die-off because i thought that would help with the ammonia spikie, was that a mistake?

 

[tranceFusion]

no its fine.. whenever you add a CUC crew any leftover debris and crud will get gobbled up..

anyway, yeah you can just add a raw grocery store shrimp in a piece of panty hose. that is what i did.. however, you don't have to.. I am now of the opinion that it is better to build up your bioload naturally because the more nutrients in your water (such as the shrimp) the more food you will have for algae and other crud.. that's why its better to not try to rush the cycle.

also, as soon as you are cycled, do large frequent water changes to start getting extra nutrients out...

 

[Solastsummer]

also, when my live rock came, i was putting it in the tank, and there was a dead crab in the box! how common is this, should i be weary of the company now? also there was a dead clam attached to one of the chunks of rock, i loved it i can keep it in there right?

 

[tamableanimal]

Did the live rock have a fresh smell to it when you opened it up? That would tell if the rock had been in storage packages for a long time.
Sometimes larger inverts stow away on liverock, and die off because they can't handle the loss of water for the shipping. That is not a problem with the shipper. The crab, if it had found a good hole to hide in could also have survived.
I cycled my tank with base rock and live without a problem. As long as you get a good spike of ammonia to start with.

 

[andy1130]

Its very common for uncured live rock to show up with die off on it/in the box, I wouldnt worry about it at all. Also, I probably would have scrubbed off the die off, your still going to get more then enough from the uncured rock to cycle the tank. One of the major problems with that is that exposed sponge on the rock will die off but can take a long time to do so, (many months in some cases) which continues to foul the water long after your cycle is complete. I wouldnt bother adding shrimp or anything else either, the rock will be plenty