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	Cycling with a prawn
skinny (ish) Fish Addict Posts: 506 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-Sep-2003	I've just set up a 10gal tank, and am cycling it using 1 prawn (Asda'a own quality!). Any idea how long I should expect it to take? Deb
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
garyroland ---Prime Fish--- Posts: 7878 Kudos: 4010 Votes: 103 Registered: 31-Dec-2001	Prawn:... "Any of numerous widely distributed edible decapod crustaceans (as of the genera Pandalus and Peneus) that resemble shrimps and have large compressed abdomens." Probably better eating than an ammonia source. Goldfish may be better. --garyroland. --When fish were invented, I was there.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
SuperMummy! Mega Fish Posts: 1207 Kudos: 915 Votes: 30 Registered: 03-Jan-2003	When I used this method, I used two large tiger prawns (in hindsight one would probably have been sufficient I think) and it was totally cycled in about three weeks. A normal sized raw prawn will be just right for a 10g I reckon. If I remember, the longest stage was the nitrite-nitrate, which seemed to take forever for the nitrates to show. When they did, the nitrites went down pretty rapidly, over a few days - I think. Mind it was a couple or years ago and I didn't record the cycle so I might be just guessing!! x
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
garyroland ---Prime Fish--- Posts: 7878 Kudos: 4010 Votes: 103 Registered: 31-Dec-2001	If you can afford to purchase a bottle of the "New Improved Cycle", a few fish, of your choosing, can be added immediately... --garyroland.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
SuperMummy! Mega Fish Posts: 1207 Kudos: 915 Votes: 30 Registered: 03-Jan-2003	- I'm not sure if thats widely (if at all) available in the UK yet Gary -
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
garyroland ---Prime Fish--- Posts: 7878 Kudos: 4010 Votes: 103 Registered: 31-Dec-2001	Very possible... But the product is made in Canada. --garyroland.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
skinny (ish) Fish Addict Posts: 506 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-Sep-2003	I do have some stuff which is very similar to NIC (as it's not available over here as far as I know!) but I'm putting amano shrimps in this tank and they're very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite so I don't want to risk it. Thakns Malaikah
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
tiny_clanger Fish Guru Posts: 2563 Kudos: 571 Votes: 12 Registered: 17-Sep-2002	you can get NIC, bu there is no guarantee that you will get NIC, and not just old Cycle - IMO, it's too much money to take the chance. The prawn method works fine - did for me in 14 days ------------------------------------------------- I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
garyroland ---Prime Fish--- Posts: 7878 Kudos: 4010 Votes: 103 Registered: 31-Dec-2001	The "New Improved Cycle" is so marked, in a red stripe at the top of the box and bottle... --garyroland.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
skinny (ish) Fish Addict Posts: 506 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-Sep-2003	Still, I don't want to risk killing my shrimps just to save time...
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
james747 Banned Posts: 232 Kudos: 203 Votes: 14 Registered: 03-Jan-2004	Hi, I'm using NIC to cycle a small tank I've just set up. The ammonia and nitrite levels have remained constant at non-toxic levels. Ammonia is at 0.1mg and nitrite at 0.1mg. I have been testing daily for a week now and those figures haven't moved. I'm cycling with 6 Rummy nose tetra's.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
tiny_clanger Fish Guru Posts: 2563 Kudos: 571 Votes: 12 Registered: 17-Sep-2002	NIC doesnt come in a box, and I've seen both bottles and there seems to be very little difference from what I could see anyway ------------------------------------------------- I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18
cichlidmad Big Fish Posts: 399 Kudos: 874 Votes: 1 Registered: 20-Aug-2003	I use NIC or just "Cycle". Whe I first ordered it, I was told that it was the New Improved Cycle. It doesn't have the red bit on the top though.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:18


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