Tank Cycling

[guitarfish]

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling. I have another tank, a small 3 gallon that has been running for a couple years, it uses a small 4x4" square filter pad. Since this is an established tank, I pulled the filter media out and put it in the HOB filter of my new tank. I'm wondering if the addtion of this filter media with its millions of bacteria will prevent a noticable ammo/nitrite cycle in the new tank. Has anyone tried this before? I am not measuring any detectible levels of ammonia yet.

 

[Boxermom]

Yes, it could, depending on how much ammonia is being released by the shrimp.

 

[PaPeRo]

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling.

Bad idea...NEVER use aquatic animals sold as food from a grocery store to cycle a tank as they can contain parasites.

 

[guitarfish]

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling.

Bad idea...NEVER use aquatic animals sold as food from a grocery store to cycle a tank as they can contain parasites.

Excuse me? Some of the most knowledgable, experienced aquarists around recommend starting the cycle process with grocery store shrimp. MUCH BETTER idea than using live fish, for example. DEAD, FROZEN grocery store shrimp. If there's any parasites living on those, then they are from Mars.

 

[sparklefuzz]

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling.

Bad idea...NEVER use aquatic animals sold as food from a grocery store to cycle a tank as they can contain parasites.

Frozen shrimp is a widely accepted method of producing ammonia which will cycle your tank. *nods*

 

[PaPeRo]

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling.

Bad idea...NEVER use aquatic animals sold as food from a grocery store to cycle a tank as they can contain parasites.

Excuse me? Some of the most knowledgable, experienced aquarists around recommend starting the cycle process with grocery store shrimp. MUCH BETTER idea than using live fish, for example. DEAD, FROZEN grocery store shrimp. If there's any parasites living on those, then they are from Mars.

Frozen and dead means squat in the parasite world.

I filled my 28g 6 days ago and threw in some grocery store shrimp to get the cycle rolling.

Bad idea...NEVER use aquatic animals sold as food from a grocery store to cycle a tank as they can contain parasites.

Frozen shrimp is a widely accepted method of producing ammonia which will cycle your tank. *nods*

Just because it's been widely accepted doesn't mean it's right. I've done my research in this area when I had a saltwater tank a few years ago. Frozen aquatic foods can contain parasitic eggs, cysts etc. that are well protected from freezer temperatures. Do a little research on this topic. Why do you think you need to fully cook fish etc to kill parasitic fluke eggs etc?

 

[guitarfish]

Do a little research on this topic. Why do you think you need to fully cook fish etc to kill parasitic fluke eggs etc?

Because it's usually fresh fish.

 

[PaPeRo]

Do a little research on this topic. Why do you think you need to fully cook fish etc to kill parasitic fluke eggs etc?

Because it's usually fresh fish.

You know for a fact frozen fish or shrimp don't contain parasites protected from freezer temperatures?

The effectiveness of freezing to kill parasites depends on several factors, including the temperature of the freezing process, the length of time needed to freeze the fish tissue, the length of time the fish is held frozen, the fat content of the fish, and the type of parasite present. The temperature of the freezing process, the length of time the fish is held frozen, and the type of parasite appear to be the most important factors. For example, tapeworms are more susceptible to freezing than are roundworms. Flukes appear to be more resistant than roundworms.

Freezing and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours is sufficient to kill parasites. FDA's Food Code recommends these freezing conditions to retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption.

 

[SandMan8388]

Hmmm... I think someone enjoyed biology too much *points at PaPeRo. Interesting topic though. I always thought freezer temperatures destroyed parasites.