Is my tank fully cycled?

[Willbacon23]

Hey guys, I’ve had my tank cycling for a week, however have added 60% of water from my other tank, as well as adding gravel from my established tank and tetrasafeplus. All my readings are 0ppm in regards to nitrates nitrites and ammonia and only shrimp are being added. Is it too soon to add the shrimp? Please let me know

 

[Essjay]

Shrimps are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite. Unless you have added ammonia to the tank there is no way know if the gravel and Safe Start have added enough bacteria. Ammonia and nitrite will read zero if you have not added a source of ammonia.
The water will not have done anything since the bacteria live on surfaces.

Are there are live plants in the tank? If there are, await until they are actively growing, then it should be safe to add the shrimps.

 

[Willbacon23]

Shrimps are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite. Unless you have added ammonia to the tank there is no way know if the gravel and Safe Start have added enough bacteria. Ammonia and nitrite will read zero if you have not added a source of ammonia.
The water will not have done anything since the bacteria live on surfaces.

Are there are live plants in the tank? If there are, await until they are actively growing, then it should be safe to add the shrimps.

I can add java moss and Christmas’s moss to the tank, apart from that I’m not planning on adding too many plants to the tank as of yet.

 

[Willbacon23]

Shrimps are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite. Unless you have added ammonia to the tank there is no way know if the gravel and Safe Start have added enough bacteria. Ammonia and nitrite will read zero if you have not added a source of ammonia.
The water will not have done anything since the bacteria live on surfaces.

Are there are live plants in the tank? If there are, await until they are actively growing, then it should be safe to add the shrimps.

Would moving ornaments from my other tank, as well as java moss already in that tank be beneficial?

 

[Essjay]

Moving some decor and java moss will have some bacteria on them, the problem is knowing how much.

But shrimps do not have a heavy bioload. With the gravel, decor and moss as well as Safe Start there should be enough bacteria for shrimps.
Keep a close eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels once you have shrimps in there.


Are there any fake plants? Shrimps do need somewhere to hide when they moult. Even if there's nothing in the tank that could eat them as their skin hardens after a moult, they don't know that and they'll feel safe with something to hide in.

 

[Willbacon23]

Moving some decor and java moss will have some bacteria on them, the problem is knowing how much.

But shrimps do not have a heavy bioload. With the gravel, decor and moss as well as Safe Start there should be enough bacteria for shrimps.
Keep a close eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels once you have shrimps in there.


Are there any fake plants? Shrimps do need somewhere to hide when they moult. Even if there's nothing in the tank that could eat them as their skin hardens after a moult, they don't know that and they'll feel safe with something to hide in.

Yeah their is fake plants moved other from other tank once again. I will move everything other tommorow I’m fairly sure should be fine due to their tiny If not can alwuas just move them back into original tank!

 

[Essjay]

If you've moved fake plants over, even better

 

[Willbacon23]

If you've moved fake plants over, even better

I feel unless I overfeed I shouldn’t see any great ammonia spike. How much would you suggest to feed the 10 shrimp a day?

 

[Essjay]

What type of food will you be using?

 

[Willbacon23]

What type of food will you be using?

Either algae wafers or flakes

 

[Essjay]

If the algae wafers are the ones about 1 cm across, I'd break one into quarters and use just one quarter to start with. If they eat it very quickly use a bit more next time.
For flakes, start with one large one or two small ones depending on the size. I would also crumble them up a bit to make more particles.

 

[Willbacon23]

If the algae wafers are the ones about 1 cm across, I'd break one into quarters and use just one quarter to start with. If they eat it very quickly use a bit more next time.
For flakes, start with one large one or two small ones depending on the size. I would also crumble them up a bit to make more particles.

Perfect and is that every day or every other day?

 

[Essjay]

See how fast the food is eaten. Use flakes one day and if they eat it all quickly try the 1/4 algae wafer next day. If they don't eat everything, don't feed them next day.


I've always had my shrimps in with fish so I have no idea how much shrimps actually eat.........

 

[Willbacon23]

Yeah but yeah eventually I will merge, what fish do you keep them with?

 

[Essjay]

Hopefully you'll have a tank full of shrimps before long and the more there are the more they'll eat. When you fist put shrimps in the tank you'll need to watch and see how much they actually eat, then you'll be able to work out a proper feeding schedule going forwards.


When I first had red cherry shrimps they were with pygmy cories and chili rasboras. Then I had to close that tank and move everything into my main tank which has: pearl gouramis, Espe's rabsboras, Daisy's rice fish, peacock gudgeons, one last pygmy cory and the last 3 chlili rasboras.
(They were sold as chili rasboras but I think they are actually Boraras urophthamoides rather than B. brigittae. Very similar though)