Cycling problems??

I started off my cycle with base rock and damsels. 4 out of my five damsels have died and i think the last one is about to go too. This is not a good way to cycle. I tested my water about a week ago and Ammonia was 0.5 ppm, Nitrite was .25 and nitrate was 0. I re-tested my water today and Ammonia was 0.5 ppm, Nitrite was 0.5, and Nitrate was 0.25. If my last damsel dies will the cycle continue because it already started?? Also if i add live rock to seed the base rock will it damage the cycle and cause an ammonia spike??

thanks

 

did you acclimate them or just chunk em on in?

 

i think five was a little too many to begin with, and i appose the use of damsels as cyclers because they are alive too. if you want to cycle it as much as possible, do what i did and go to your local supermarket, pick up a fishie for cookin and chunk him in. let him sit for 2-3 weeks, stank up the whole house, remove, allow cycle to convert ammonia and so on, and when you begin to see your nitrates dropping (i believe this ususally happens with LR) and do a water change. Believe me, it works, cause i havent had any nitrates for 2 months now.

 

THanks for the responses My tank has been cycling for about 3 weeks. I started out with 2 damsels for about a week than added three more. I acclimated the fish by putting the bag in the tank for ten minutes than adding a shot glass of water every two minutes about six times. I think they are just not hardy enough to withstand the cycle.

 

cycling " usuaully " last up to 3 months. I would have started with only one damsel and let nature take its course. Keep one thing in mind, dont rush things, go slow. It will work out better for you and the tank. As to the advise that aquaboy gave you about going to the supermarket and buying a fish and throwing it in for 2-3 weeks, I NEVER HEARD SUCH A THING!!! thats a very neanderthalish way of doing things( no offense ) Wow

 

fish for cycling

I have always used fresh water black mollys, acclimate well to salt water, just do it slowly like you were acclimating any fish. They are extremely hardy and cheap, I've never lost one while cycling. They do well in saltwater tanks and you will have a unique fish if you decide to keep it.

 

The Damsels may have already been sick or put into shock, or that base rock you got was really loaded with dead matter and originally spiked the ammonia way high. The live rock itself should start the cycle, I would just add some more base rock and maybe a few hermits.

 

i have a 75 gal..chucked in 2 jumbo uncooked shrimp from the seafood counter..took out when they started to get yucky looking ( white film over them, 4 days) my tank fully cycled in 9 days..no need to leave it in for 2 or 3 weeks imo..u just need to start the cycle..watch ur ammonia if it goes over or gets close to 1.0..do a small water change..monitor that..anything over 1.0 is more than u need..IMO..HTH..

 

me too...

Have never understood use of live fish to cycle. LR alone usually has enjoy dead life to get going, or use of shrimp mentioned above.

:-/

 

thats 3 on the shimp to cycle , I started the tank with building rock/base rock the cheapest I could find and ran for a week After the first week my lfs told me I had to place a fish in the tank to cycle it properly, poor thing died two days later and thats when I found 3reef god bless and heard about cycling with shrimps put in 2 cocktail shrimp for 1 week then let the tank stand running for another 2weeks then added some more expensive live rock and waited for another 2 weeks befor I added fish.