# Quick Cycle Shrimp Tank



## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

Hi all,
I have a new Planted tank with a filter thats been running just over a week now, unfortunately i will be going away in a weeks time but my Ammonia is still high and i want to move the shrimp over before i leave. 

Recently been dosing Seachem Flourish excel to help with the DHG.

The substrate is new and filter has was moved from the current tank.

Anyway i can speed this up and get it done in time..? 

Thanks


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

H_C said:


> Hi all,
> I have a new Planted tank with a filter thats been running just over a week now, unfortunately i will be going away in a weeks time but my Ammonia is still high and i want to move the shrimp over before i leave.
> 
> Recently been dosing Seachem Flourish excel to help with the DHG.
> ...


I wouldn't add anything until the cycle is finished, especially shrimp. If you have a tank that's already cycled you can add some of the media to the new tank filter to help speed it up. Another option is put your new filter on your cycled tank for a week then transfer it back to your new tank. Any which way you slice it I would not add shrimp until you get 0 ammonia/nitrites and have your nitrates under control.

Just my opinion.

Dan


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Dman911 said:


> I wouldn't add anything until the cycle is finished, especially shrimp. If you have a tank that's already cycled you can add some of the media to the new tank filter to help speed it up. Another option is put your new filter on your cycled tank for a week then transfer it back to your new tank. Any which way you slice it I would not add shrimp until you get 0 ammonia/nitrites and have your nitrates under control.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




100% agree. Easiest would be to add media from tank that is already cycled. 


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## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

Dman911 said:


> I wouldn't add anything until the cycle is finished, especially shrimp. If you have a tank that's already cycled you can add some of the media to the new tank filter to help speed it up. Another option is put your new filter on your cycled tank for a week then transfer it back to your new tank. Any which way you slice it I would not add shrimp until you get 0 ammonia/nitrites and have your nitrates under control.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




My filter was already transferred , ive got a sponge filter running atm on the old tank and thats it. There is no filter media but could i just use some of the substrate and put it into the filter its the JBL greenline M, so its got a compartment.

Or if there are any liquid quick starts to convert the ammonia?


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

H_C said:


> My filter was already transferred , ive got a sponge filter running atm on the old tank and thats it. There is no filter media but could i just use some of the substrate and put it into the filter its the JBL greenline M, so its got a compartment.
> 
> Or if there are any liquid quick starts to convert the ammonia?
> 
> ...


Prime will bind ammonia in the form of ammonium which is much less toxic but I would not recommend going this route because that bond only lasts approx 48 hrs and you won't be there to dose more. There are additives that are supposed to cycle aquariums faster but I have not used any that I have found to be effective and have not tried any in the last 5-8 years so others may have advice on that. Adding substrate and any rocks, décor etc. will help speed things up as long as you don't wash them first. Personally I would take the new filter and put it on the old tank and take the sponge filter and put it on the new tank as the bacteria on the glass, rocks, substrate etc. of the old tank should quickly (within a few days) repopulate enough bacteria to make up for removing the sponge filter and placing it in the new tank and also bacteria should start colonizing the new filter that's place the old tank. You will need to pay attention to your old tank over the next week to check for signs of a mini cycle. Adding some fast growing plants if you have from your other aquarium would also help. Again I would not put anything in there until you can verify 0 ammonia/nitrite and have nitrates under control though.

Dan


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## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

Dman911 said:


> Prime will bind ammonia in the form of ammonium which is much less toxic but I would not recommend going this route because that bond only lasts approx 48 hrs and you won't be there to dose more. There are additives that are supposed to cycle aquariums faster but I have not used any that I have found to be effective and have not tried any in the last 5-8 years so others may have advice on that. Adding substrate and any rocks, décor etc. will help speed things up as long as you don't wash them first. Personally I would take the new filter and put it on the old tank and take the sponge filter and put it on the new tank as the bacteria on the glass, rocks, substrate etc. of the old tank should quickly (within a few days) repopulate enough bacteria to make up for removing the sponge filter and placing it in the new tank and also bacteria should start colonizing the new filter that's place the old tank. Adding some fast growing plants if you have from your other aquarium would also help. Again I would not put anything in there until you can verify 0 ammonia/nitrite and have nitrates under control though.
> 
> 
> 
> Dan




Thanks a lot Dan gonna try everything i can to speed it up. 


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## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

Try Tetra Safe Start. It contains the species of nitrifying bacteria you want and most people report success with it.


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## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

geisterwald said:


> Try Tetra Safe Start. It contains the species of nitrifying bacteria you want and most people report success with it.
> 
> Bump: Try Tetra Safe Start. It contains the species of nitrifying bacteria you want and most people report success with it.




Thanks will look into it


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

I edited my last post. Please note you will need to pay attention to your old tank for the next week after removing the sponge filter as this may create a mini cycle. After a few days of good tests you should not have to monitor this.

Dan


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## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

Dman911 said:


> I edited my last post. Please note you will need to pay attention to your old tank for the next week after removing the sponge filter as this may create a mini cycle. After a few days of good tests you should not have to monitor this.
> 
> 
> 
> Dan




Thanks again, will do


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

H_C said:


> My filter was already transferred , ive got a sponge filter running atm on the old tank and thats it. There is no filter media but could i just use some of the substrate and put it into the filter its the JBL greenline M, so its got a compartment.
> 
> Or if there are any liquid quick starts to convert the ammonia?
> 
> ...




In my experience the liquid quick starts are liquid junk to be honest. You would be best off squeezing some of the sponge filter or if you could take part of it and use it on the new. Could put in new filter then just replace the old one in cycled tank with a new one. Would be enough bb in the entire tank to sustain. I would do this as the shrimp are top priority. 

Edit. Again take @Dman911 advice. Do the swap like he mentioned. Add some liquid quick start in old tank as it may help negate a mini cycle. New tank should be good. Sorry only saw comments on previous page. 


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## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

clownplanted said:


> In my experience the liquid quick starts are liquid junk to be honest.


This is generally true, most brands are packaged with I think the terrestrial nitrifying bacteria which is obviously useless for aquatic purposes (or else just with the wrong bacteria or something). There are a few brands with the right species, Tetra Safe Start is the most commonly known of those and people do have luck with it.


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

geisterwald said:


> This is generally true, most brands are packaged with I think the terrestrial nitrifying bacteria which is obviously useless for aquatic purposes (or else just with the wrong bacteria or something). There are a few brands with the right species, Tetra Safe Start is the most commonly known of those and people do have luck with it.




What is your opinion on the seachem stability? Was using trying to fast cycle my 20 Gallon but only way I could instant cycle was using media from my other tank. That worked like a charm and when I checked levels next day ammonia and nitrite checked 0

Want to add I was not expecting the liquid to instant cycle but after a week and not seeing improvement to not one but two tanks that was newly setup just gave up on it. Did not try the tetra though. 

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## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

clownplanted said:


> What is your opinion on the seachem stability? Was using trying to fast cycle my 20 Gallon but only way I could instant cycle was using media from my other tank. That worked like a charm and when I checked levels next day ammonia and nitrite checked 0
> 
> Want to add I was not expecting the liquid to instant cycle but after a week and not seeing improvement to not one but two tanks that was newly setup just gave up on it. Did not try the tetra though.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think Seachem Stability is not one of the products containing the correct species IIRC. I tried using it a few years back and yeah it didn't do much, or anything really lol. I don't remember entirely but I think people told me it was a bad brand (after the fact, naturally ). Using media from another tank is guaranteed to have the right species of bacteria, but the downside is you could potentially cause a mini-cycle in the original tank, or if you just don't have a tank of your own to take media from it's inconvenient. I haven't used Tetra Safe Start myself, but I have seen a *lot* of people use it with good results. I'm a staunch follower of @Diana's guide to fishless cycling, and the brands she lists (last I saw anyways, not sure if she's updated the post) are Tetra Safe Start, Dr. Tim's One and Only, and Microbe Lift Nite-Out II.


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Happy 4th of July to everyone. May everyone have good times with their planted tanks and friends and loved ones. 
And to the ones that lost their lives for our freedom. 


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## H_C (Feb 25, 2017)

Update:
No idea if this is gonna work but I'm running out of time here . Ive also added some substrate into the filter. 
Fingers crossed. 











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