Cycling tank with raw shrimp

[BarbH]

I started my cycling on my tank at the beginning of this week using a piece of raw shrimp. The rock that I usd was dried although it had been used by another reefer. Between the organics on the rock and the shrimp that I added I have been getting readings on ammonia and nitrites. I started adding my saltwater to the tank on 4/7 and finished filling it on 4/8. On Monday 4/9 I added my piece of raw shrimp. I decided to go ahead and test my water to give me a base line on where I was starting. Ammonia was 1.0ppm Nitrite was 0.5ppm, did not test on nitrates. On 4/10 test results were Ammonia 2.0ppm Nitrite 1.0ppm, I also have what I believe to be a bacterial bloom that started white hazy cloudy water. From my experience in fw this is usually a bacterial bloom. On 4/11 test results were the same as the day before. Today 4/12 my test results are Ammonia 4.0ppm Nitrite 2.0ppm and I tested on Nitrates and got a reading of 20ppm. What I am wondering is if I should leave the piece of shrimp in for a little longer and let my ammonia and nitrites get a little bit higher before pulling it out, or go ahead and pull it out?

Also another question that I have is that my pH has been testing consistently at 7.8 since I started testing. I test at about the same time each day, late morning. I noticed from what I have read that most people have their pH above 8. At this time I do not know what my alkalinty is, do not have a test kit for that yet, and from what I remember alkalinty and pH relate to one another higher alkalinity helps to stabilize the pH while with low alkalinity the pH can change. I know that with my fw experience keeping water parameters consistent is more important than having the ideal range. With a pH of 7.8 as along as it is keeping consistent will I be okay with fish and in the future when I am ready to move on with corals will they be fine with a lower pH? Thanks for your suggestions and advice.

[redemer123]

your tanks new, it will be low for a while eventually it will likely sort itself out and be between 8 and 8.4

[MizTanks]

Originally Posted by redemer123

your tanks new, it will be low for a while eventually it will likely sort itself out and be between 8 and 8.4

How can you determine what her PH is going to be?

[redemer123]

Another thing you may want to try is to test later on in the day its good that you are testing at the same time for consistent results. pH will rise throughout the day and fall throughout the night.

[redemer123]

Originally Posted by MizTanks

How can you determine what her PH is going to be?

Because im a chemist to be, therefore by using a myriad of complex mathematical equations I can determine where her pH should fall between.

[Poseidon]

pH is dramatically affected by atmospheric CO2. Have you had your windows open/closed?

You are correct about alkalinity having an effect on pH as well, it is the buffer that must be controlled to keep you pH consistent.

Also, with no "life" in the tank, you should not have much of a pH swing yet. Coral and macro algae do go through a respiration cycle, day and night. Once you have a tank and sump going, you can set your sump to be lit opposite of the tank, which will also help stabilize pH swings.

There are a lot of products on the market that claim to help with pH, in my experience the best was an Aqua Vitro product called.... but I can't recall it at the moment, "Stabil" maybe. It is hydroxide ions in solution. However, you are not to the point of needing to add ANYTHING other then time right now.

---------- Post added at 08:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 PM ----------

Originally Posted by redemer123

Because im a chemist to be, therefore by using a myriad of complex mathematical equations I can determine where her pH should fall between.

You sir are a dreamer!

[BarbH]

thank you redeemer when I get a chance I will try and see what it is in later on. Not in any rush to do anything and until the tank cycles I am guessing will see a lot if changes.

As for the shrimp I am thinking that will leave in until the ammonia gets a bit higher.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2

[lngliv3]

When I set up my tank i left my shrimp in till it was covered in a cocoon like shell was about 3 days .... Then its a waiting game mine took 24 days for the numbers to come down to 0 across the board... In my opinion on ur ph levels depends what kind of base you have. In my old tank I used crushed aragonite and the water from my ro unit was at 7.8 before I put it in . After a day my ph went up to 8.0 so my thinking is the base helps keep the ph where it needs to be. Thats my opinion...

[redemer123]

Another thing to keep in mind is that if the pH fluctuates just .2 points say from 7.8 to 8.0 thats 10 times more basic and vise versa when it comes to acidity and a one point jump from say 7 to 8 is 50 times more basic so as you can understand even the tiniest of changes in a tanks pH can be significant and is likely felt by your critters. So as you begin to finish the cycle in the near future keep that in mind as you stock the tank with critters, you want your tank rock solid, stability is the key to success. live by that motto if you want a rocking saltwater tank

[binford4000]

[QUOTE=Poseidon;145055]pH is dramatically affected by atmospheric CO2. Have you had your windows open/closed?

You are correct about alkalinity having an effect on pH as well, it is the buffer that must be controlled to keep you pH consistent.

Also, with no "life" in the tank, you should not have much of a pH swing yet. Coral and macro algae do go through a respiration cycle, day and night. Once you have a tank and sump going, you can set your sump to be lit opposite of the tank, which will also help stabilize pH swings.

There are a lot of products on the market that claim to help with pH, in my experience the best was an Aqua Vitro product called.... but I can't recall it at the moment, "Stabil" maybe. It is hydroxide ions in solution. However, you are not to the point of needing to add ANYTHING other then time right now. [COLOR="Silver"]

---------- Post added at 08:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 PM ----------Well put.

Well put.the 7.8 will rise but starting a reverse light cycle on the fuge will help keep consitant buffer capabilities. I personally never used the shrimp to cycle a tank.just time and patience but have read of allot of other reefers doing it.Raiseing ammonia is something I never intentionally did.No 2 ,Po4 ,Alk,Ca and No3 levels are usually what I concern myself with once the ammonia reaches 0.