10 gallon cycling help?

[kathstew]

Hi guys!
Well, my birthday is coming up (just over a month away) and I am thinking about asking for a 10 gallon tank to make a sorority. If this happens (which will take a lot of convincing my mom, LOL) I want to cycle my tank, which I am guessing will not only make water changes easier, but be cheaper conditioner-wise as well.
If I get a 10 gallon, I would like to cycle it, preferably fish-less. I've been reading up on the different types of ways to cycle it fish-less. I am leaning towards the shrimp method, but I really want to do it the best possible way.
Has anyone had experience with the shrimp method? Any tips?
And what would be the best water parameter testing kit? I know that the strip kits aren't the best as they are not as accurate as the liquid tests.
What are the ranges I should have for all the different water categories (pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite etc.).

I appreciate it! Thank you!

[kathstew]

bump

[mywingedhorses]

I don't have any experience with the shrimp method, I'm still cycling my first tank with pure ammonia. However, I asked about the testing kit on another thread and one user recommended Nutrafin Mini Master. I haven't gotten a chance to go out and look for it yet so I don't know how well it works myself. From what I've read the best thing to get is a liquid master test kit.

Once you start your cycle the ammonia will spike and then the nitrites will spike. This will probably all happen over a period of weeks. When ammonia and nitrites are 0, do a water change and then you can slowly add fish. I'm pretty new to the cycling myself so I would double check some of the other threads on this site. There are some good stickys here on cycling.

[kathstew]

Thanks for the tips mywingedhorses.

I will definitely keep an eye out for those testing kits.
I've been reading the stickies, and they have been quite helpful so far!

If anyone else has any helpful tips, especially about the shrimp method, I would appreciate it!

[JackisLost]

Shrimp method? I never heard of it, but I'd imagine the shrimp will die. Shrimp need an established tank to eat bio-crud. I find it easier to cycle a tank with what you already have, a betta

[Staciekarp]

Originally Posted by JackisLost

Shrimp method? I never heard of it, but I'd imagine the shrimp will die. Shrimp need an established tank to eat bio-crud. I find it easier to cycle a tank with what you already have, a betta

The shrimp methood is actually done with a frozen shrimp. The ammonia comes from the shrimp decaying in the tank. :)

I used the pure ammonia method but here's a little tip for you~

Try asking an employee at a fish store if you can have some of their filter media or dirty gravel; I didn't try this myself but I've heard of people on this forum doing so to seed their tank.

Good luck!

[baylee767]

... she means shrimp, like the kind you eat.

Anyways, my advice is choose a small shrimp completely submerged in a closed bag so the smell is a lot less likely to escape. That way you probably wont have to see/ contaminate your tank with mold, too. Test the water everyday if you want, but you only need to test every once in a while.

Here is a BIG warning, it will SMELL.

Also, yes, seed your tank. I seeded mine and in 2 days I already have nitrates. It really works.... 0.0

[JackisLost]

Yikes, a decaying shrimp in a tank doesn't sound so nice. I cycled my tank with my betta that I still have, I just let him poop it up real nicely

[kathstew]

I want the tank to start a sorority, so I don't really want to risk any ammonia poisoning with so many fish.

Ew, great. My room is gonna smell like decaying shrimp. -_-"
Could I seed the tank with gravel from an uncycled tank? Or does the gravel have to be from a cycled tank?
And thanks for answering me!

So, when I cycle, the ammonia and nitrite will spike. Then, the nitrate will spike and the ammonia and nitrite will drop?

[eengland]

The gravel needs to come from a cycled tank.

And that is how I understand the process to work. But I am still cycling my 5 gallon with the fish-less cycle and I am waiting on the Nitrite to raise. Good luck! :)