am i ok to add my cleanup crew?

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shayneh

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Chromis and clownfish belong to the same family/generra as damsels so are just as hardy but wayyyyy more docile.

You can buy a single shrimp at you local grocer for pennies or a whole tray of 50 cocktail shrimp for about $5 and you can eat the other 49 mmmmm. Another option if you don't have any cash is take a piss in the tank...sounds funny but I am serious it all does the same thing which is introduce ammonia! I wouldn't suggest a complete drain of the bladder mabye just a cup.... 
 
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shayneh

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Just noticed this....but most fish aren't captive bred...meaning they are shipped from overseas after being plucked from the ocean. This is my biggest reason for promoting the careful selection of livestock.
 
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shayneh

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WOW! Just read back and that shayneh guy was on a rant it seems......LOL! Just want to share some of my knowledge.... hoping you don't think I was beatin you down pulp.....reading back I feel like a dick but I am passionate about this hobby and have been doing this a long time (20+ years)...just want to make the process as easy as possible for others while promoting eco-friendly sustainability. LOL don't even get me started on the species of livestock that shouldn't be available at our LFS due to diet or care requirements....
 
pulpfiction1

pulpfiction1

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i totally understand and feel your passion and didnt find any you being a dick by any means,we all have something to offer as time passes and the ones that dont seek out as much diversity as possible in this hobby is probably doomed for failure
 
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shayneh

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You couldn't have put that thought into better words...I agree wholeheartedly! Cheers...
 
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DJ

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thanks alot for the input guys im gonna try the shrimp way cuz i am not really for putting any fish through a cycle process as i have read what it does to them but thanks alot for the suggestions. shayneh if im puttinthe shrimp in my tank do i leave it in and never think about it ever again or dobi take it out at some point
 
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shayneh

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Put it in and leave it.....you'll likely know the cycle is complete when you get an algae bloom as they feed on the final by product of the cycle....Nitrate. You'll learn the art of patience....this will take about a month....it's a great time to read as much as you can and plan for what you want to achieve.
 
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DJ

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ok great thanks shayneh, so im gonna wanna hol off on the cleanup crew till after the cycle then right?
 
Blob-79

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lol, the good old days. Since the early 90's ive always used damsels to cycle my tanks, Ill never do it again, for the many reasons shayneh mentioned. Coming from the old school background, its just what I knew at the time. But now that ive "matured" (LOL WUT) and learned sooo much more since back to the old biolife and skilter days :)  Also from a heightened sence of resposibility for the livestock we keep, it just doesnt feel right to put an animal thru that.
 
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shayneh

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DJ yes hold off on the CUC till they have some cleaning to do. Inverts are way more sensitive to ammonia and nitrite than fish so when you can successfully keep them you should be good to go....slowly that is!

ha ha ha @ Biolife.... I had the Bio55 and still have parts kicking around from it. Built in heater and wet/dry trickle filter that was a serious piece of kit in the 90's. That allowed me to turf my undergravel filter that was powered with the wooden airstones that had to be replaced every 6 months and the stupid hob aquaclear filter ha ha ha... I remember thinking how there was a crazy amount of water movement from the 200-300gph powerhead and now.....not so much!
 
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ZAX

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I put in 3 cocktail shrimp to cycle my tank too after 3 weeks. Within about a half an hour, brisstleworms loved the shrimp as it sank to the bottom. 3 days later I could not even find the shrimp. The rock I started with was very mature and also used sand and a little water from another tank when I bought it. The tank did cycle and I never did see ammonia or nitrite readings (tested every 4 days or so). Been about 3 months now.
 
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DJ

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thanks guys, and thanks shayneh for the laughs everyone loves a little humor:)
 
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Paligues

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If I may guys, I know of several cases of tanks not even going through a cycle, myself included on my 30 gallon. Basically if you pick up live rock, get it home in no time flat (as most of us do) and then get it straight into the tank, a full cycle can be completely avoided. If I'm wrong please correct me. But when I first started, I barely even saw .1ppm of amonia.....
 
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DJ

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i feel like thats exactly what is going on with mine i would also like to know if this is possible or not, also how did your tank end up doin after that paligues
 
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shayneh

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It could be the case that it might be cycled already but this is the safest method when your not 100% positive that it's cycled....and will do nothing but strengthen your system by ensuring a cycle happens and allowing the bacterial cultures time to mature. And it gives you more time to google everything you ever wanted to know about marine tanks....
 
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DJ

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i have already starte this process shayneh one more question do i keep up my weekly water changes throughout this process
 
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