cycling with decomposing meat
- Thread starter cdawson
- Start date
would someone whose done this please reply because I'm getting mixed reactions on this. I was told by a prominent LFS that this should make the tank cycled after 2-3 weeks and I should slowly add fish after this (1-2 fish every 2 weeks). I've used a freshwater jumbo shrimp that was frozen in my freezer. Now if this seems out of this world tell me because I'm getting an archer fish and putting in my prize green spotted puffer. So if they die and no one helped I'll be REALLY choked. I also fed the tank with a pinch of flake food.
I feel your pain!
Hey cdawson, I wish I knew the answer so I could help you out. Or at least had a wetman translation text available. I've heard of using shrimp but can't remember if it was raw or not. Try doing a search with cycling and shrimp. Someone will come out of their "clown mode" and help you out. Hang in there.
You would lose your kuhli loaches in the small intestine!!!!!
Hey cdawson, I wish I knew the answer so I could help you out. Or at least had a wetman translation text available. I've heard of using shrimp but can't remember if it was raw or not. Try doing a search with cycling and shrimp. Someone will come out of their "clown mode" and help you out. Hang in there.
You would lose your kuhli loaches in the small intestine!!!!!
I just read that when the ammonia hits 0.00 I should be ready for my fish, this has been used for alot of saltwater tanks (I'm doing high brackish) so it should be fine according to article.
Hey cdawson,
Some links I found (not sure if you have seen them yet):
http://www.reefsource.com/Information Sources/fishless_cycle.htm
http://www.pgtropicals.com/ARTICLES/fcvaa.html
The cycle is not done when just ammonia hits 0.00. It is done when ammonia and nitrItes have both peaked (won't happen at the same time - ammonia first and then nitrIte) and go to 0.00. You should test for both.
Eager
Some links I found (not sure if you have seen them yet):
http://www.reefsource.com/Information Sources/fishless_cycle.htm
http://www.pgtropicals.com/ARTICLES/fcvaa.html
The cycle is not done when just ammonia hits 0.00. It is done when ammonia and nitrItes have both peaked (won't happen at the same time - ammonia first and then nitrIte) and go to 0.00. You should test for both.
Eager
If you are that concerned about how well it will cycle your tank then why bother?? Why not use a standard cycling method and not risk losing your favorite fish?
Using shrimp or fish to cycle a tank is perfectly fine, preferably raw.
When your cycle is complete, ie... Ammonia = 0.00, Nitrites = 0.00, and you should be showing some Nitrates at that point. Do a fairly large water change and you're all set!
Cheers,
Raithan O. Ellis
When your cycle is complete, ie... Ammonia = 0.00, Nitrites = 0.00, and you should be showing some Nitrates at that point. Do a fairly large water change and you're all set!
Cheers,
Raithan O. Ellis
I can't really understand why you'd do this as opposed to an ammonia-style fishless. If the salties have been doing this for awhile, it still seems to be a form of fishless. The ammonia style fishless seems cleaner and neater. Is there some advantage to using rotting meat that I'm just not getting? I'd think you'd be choking and gagging long before you put your prized fish in there…
And as Eager pointed out, the cycle isn't finished until the NitrItes zero out. The ammonia zeroing out isn't even half way.
And as Eager pointed out, the cycle isn't finished until the NitrItes zero out. The ammonia zeroing out isn't even half way.
