kick start of ammonia cycle

[terryansimon]

will the absence of liverocks still enable the ammonia cycle to begin if I add in a dead market prawn?

I know it sounds stupid, but thats what they do in freshwater. or what I did at least. =\

[hippo]

will the absence of liverocks still enable the ammonia cycle to begin if I add in a dead market prawn?

I know it sounds stupid, but thats what they do in freshwater. or what I did at least. =\

Without the presence of LR, you don't have aerobic bacteria to convert ammonia to nirite leh. Eventually, the curing and acclimatization process of LR also help to mature the tank water. So I guess it makes some differences.

[scarab]

Without LR you can't convert the ammonia that is generated by the dead market prawn, so your ammonia will always remain there. You need to have some sort of media for the aerobic bacteria to grow to do the conversion to nitrite and nitrate. Normally the LR is use for this media

[Tanggy]

That is not true. Bacteria is all around us. You just need to introduced an armonia source (in this case a deap prawn). Let the system run and let nature do it's work. Where ever armonia is present in water, the spores in the air will find its way to your tank. It just takes a bit longer. If you wish to speed it up, just add bacteria cultures to kickstart the process by introducing a large bacteria base. Why do you think dead things rot. Coz bacteria find its way from the air to the decomposing flesh and start the decomposing process.

The LR we use for cycling provides the armonia source. That's why you dont need the dead prawn if cycling with live rock as the dies off from the rock provide you with the armonia. Probably cycle quicker as some bacteria might have survie the drying, transport and cleaning.

But remember you need a place for the bacteria to stay. Without liverocks, you need a media as substrate do not have enough surface area. so if running a filter, provide media for bacteria growth.

[KingFish]

Terry, Scarab & Hippo, here's a brief of what we are talking about:

Nitrosomonas bacteria convert Ammonia (NH3) to Nitrites (NO2) and Nitrobacter bacteria convert Nitrite to Nitrate (NO3)

Run a general search on the Internet and you'll get a comprehensive description. The available search engines are pretty idiot-proof these days so do make use of it.

[Razo]

Without LR you can't convert the ammonia that is generated by the dead market prawn, so your ammonia will always remain there. You need to have some sort of media for the aerobic bacteria to grow to do the conversion to nitrite and nitrate. Normally the LR is use for this media

imo i still think u can kickstart with just a dead prawn n without live rock... but since starting new tank y not introdued the LR n dead prawn together... if u intro the LR after u cycled there will be still mini spike n lengthen the cycling period

[terryansimon]

no lah coz my liverocks were taking an awfully long time to arrive. hahaha. supposedly coming today. I hope.

Victor...

hey thanks. see you on Sunday! you sure thats all you want? the pink panther DVDs that is. anything else?