Cycling nano reef tank

[driver3260]

Can some one tell me if this is correct, after nearly 2 weeks cycling my tank has suddenly started to show nitrite 1.0, i have been told this is normal in cycling, at present i have 3 nice peices of live rock, 2 fiddler crabs and a suprise this morning a pistol shrimp has appearedi have been adding a little food since sunday, 4 days ago so could this be why nitrite has suddenly appeared, if so should i continue to feed, Thanks.

 

[Len]

2 weeks is about the right time frame from nitrite to show. Did you test for ammonia before? Your ammonia level is probably on the decline and your nitrite will continue to rise a bit, then see a sharp drop in a week.

 

[Anonymous]

Your cycle seems to be right on schedule, but unless you happen to want that pistol in your display (they can cause havoc and will limit other critters that you can keep) I would isolate the rock it is in and get rid of it. An easy way to do this (once you figure out which rock it is in) is to set up a bucket filled with enough plain club soda to cover the rock and another bucket of saltwater. Dip the rock into the club soda, and the shrimp will scoot right out of it. Dunk the rock back into the other bucket with saltwater on it and put it back into the tank. The shrimp can then be netted, but into the bucket of saltwater and maybe taken back to the LFS who sold you the rock as a trade.

 

[Anonymous]

I love your club soda trick, Tracy. If only I'd known of it when I had that mantis shrimp in my own home display tank. :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

it's not original, I picked it up years ago from...someone or somewhere :lol:

 

[fishinchick]

I see no problem with a pistol shrimp. They make great additions to nano reefs - as long as it IS a pistol shrimp. Depending on which one it is there are even gobies that will host with them.

People often buy pistol shrimps to put in their tanks on purpose. I think nano reefs are a great way to show off a pistol shrimp.

And really ... they dont wreak that much havoc if you are stacking your rockwork right and you have a sandbed.

 

[jmeader]

All I would add is that if you keep the shrimp, quit feeding it for a couple of weeks at least. let the shrimp clean up your live rock.