help wanted starting a fish only tank

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

so the waters finally in the tank,after reading i decided to cycle by adding a mushed up raw tiger prawn and a few pounds of live sand,to jump start the cycle,i was wondering has anyone tryed this method useing the prawn and how long did it take ,i didnt want to use damsels for a number of reasons,will the smell of a prawn breaking down last long,i found my roommate sniffing around the tank tonight,and looking angry at me any other ideas whould help out alot thanks..john

[Richer]

I used the shrimp method to cycle my baserock before I put in LR. All I did was grab a frozen prawn from the freezer and threw it in the tank. For the first few days, the tank smelled really bad (kind of reminded me of a chinese fish market). I had a somewhat tight fitting glass lid over this thing, so you could only really smell it when you lifted the lid up (thank goodness!). After a few days, the smell stopped. I threw in a pretty large prawn into the tank... it took nearly two months to cycle the whole thing. In retrospect, I should have probably used only half of what I put in there... or at least remove the shrimp after the first week or so.
Long story short, after the cycle completed, I did a near 100% water change, and put in LR. Haven't had a problem so far *knock on wood* .

-Richer

[Quinn]

Do you think a 100% water change is a good idea? I almost wonder if it would counteract the whole purpose of the cycle. Remember, some of the denitrifying bacteria are in the water as well.

[Aquattro]

Quinn, I believe most of the bacteria colonize solid objects. Any bacteria tht is free floating just lost their footing. I've done near 100% waterchanges without any effect on N cycles.

[LostMind]

The N bacteria are sessile, which is why your UV filter wont kill em all off also.

[Richer]

My experience with FW systems always indicated that nitrifying bacteria colonizes solid objects (ie. decor, tank wall, filter media, etc.). No one I've never heard of has ever said that they've managed to instantly cycle a tank by just transfering water over from an established tank... though I've heard of (and experienced myself) many people who have just about instantly cycled a tank by transfering over a decent amount of filter media and/or decor over from an established tank.

I suspect that SW systems are simliar, and from what I understand, it is.

-Richer

[Quinn]

Good points all of you, I stand corrected.

[kris_willard]

Well if it isnt free floating why cycle the tank without rock?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by kris_willard

Well if it isnt free floating why cycle the tank without rock?

Darn good question. Although I've never heard anyone suggesting that you do that.

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

thanks for all the posts the smell has almost gone know,so tention between me and my roommate has reduced for know lol,the ammonia is going up so the cycle has started not quite sure what im doing with the tank yet i its either the standard predator tank a lion ,niger trigger plus a few more or a small mixed fish clowns,gobies etc