New to shrimp: Cycling tank

[Redleg]

About to set up my very first shrimp tank.

Using UNS Controsoil, was told to set tank up and fill with RO water and let it cycle WITHOUT livestock, that there will naturally be some ammonia in soil that will jump start cycle. Was also told that I can drop some fish food in tank and that will also help jumpstart cycle. After a couple of weeks, heck water and when everything is ZERO, good to go on adding shrimp. Is that true?

I do have experience with fresh/salt water tanks, I’ve always cycled new tanks with livestock, this is something new to me and use of “soil.” I am planning on using Dwarf Haor Grass mini as plant in my 4 gallons tank.

[RyTheFishGuy]

About to set up my very first shrimp tank.

Using UNS Controsoil, was told to set tank up and fill with RO water and let it cycle WITHOUT livestock, that there will naturally be some ammonia in soil that will jump start cycle. Was also told that I can drop some fish food in tank and that will also help jumpstart cycle. After a couple of weeks, heck water and when everything is ZERO, good to go on adding shrimp. Is that true?

I do have experience with fresh/salt water tanks, I’ve always cycled new tanks with livestock, this is something new to me and use of “soil.” I am planning on using Dwarf Haor Grass mini as plant in my 4 gallons tank.

Hello Redleg,

I'm not too familiar with UNS Controsoil but if it's anything like ADA or Tropica soil; there will be some ammonia leeching out of the soil. If you are using RO water, you need to make sure to re-minerize that water. Livestocks cannot survive in plain RO water. For more sensitive livestocks like shrimp (depending on the species), I would go with a fishless cycle. You can add fish food in the tank to create additional ammonia (make sure to put it in some type of mesh bag or it can get very messy). Some people just add pure ammonia but that's up to you. I would test the water almost daily for ammonia and then maybe a week or two after, nitrite. Ammonia should be in the 3ppm-5ppm readings. Turn up the temperature to 80-82 degrees. Once ammonia starts to disappear and nitrite starts to appear then I would add a little bit more fish food or pure ammonia to keep the cycle going.

Nitrate will not appear in a tank until maybe the third week during the cycle. Remember a cycle can take up to 6 weeks. Patience is key. Your tank is fully cycled once nitrates are being produced (and ammonia and nitrite levels are zero).*

You can SPEED UP THE PROCESS TREMENDOUSLY by taking cycled filter media from one of your old tanks or a friend's tank (someone you trust because you do not want to introduce anything you do not want) and place it in your filter or aquarium. This will jumpstart the cycle and you will skip a lot of steps.

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[Redleg]

When using RO water and re-mineralizing it, I am only assuming that it should not be done frequently. Reason why I say that is because looking at the ingredient, its basically salt...which does not evaporate as water would and since I'll be making little to no water changes and mainly topping off......assumption would be to check all parameters often and make necessary adjustments to change water chemistry as needed.....which leads me to another set of questions:

-How do I change GH/KH un water?
-TDS can be influenced by "re-mineralize" water (salt, I get it, NOT table salt).

[bryangee123]

Are you planning to care for caridina or neocaridina? Neos usually don’t need RO water, you can usually keep them with pure tap(and dechlorinater). caridina need specific parameters to grow and breed.

Assuming, since you’re new to shrimp, you’ll be going with neos. Do you know your Ph, GH and KH out of the tap? Again, most neos can adjust to most water params.

As for remineralizing, you need to remineralize every gallon of RO water you add back. What minerals do you plan to use for the RO water? I’ve seen most use Salty shrimp. You would need to add a certain amount of the Gh/Kh booster to get the preferred params.

Yes, TDS can be influenced by RO water.