Because you do two things at once, you cycle your tank, and you fill it with live rock, which most of us here will do anyways. Even adding "cured" rock to a cycled tank can start another cycle. How are you to know that live rock cured at the store is fully cured? So by starting with only rock, you get both tasks accomplished.

It is the best way to cycle a tank in my opinion only as i stated in my orginal post. :biggrin:

it is a very common practice oversea's to do this when clam farming.

I wasn't suggesting the ammonia only, but using it instead of the shrimp, that's all. Ammonia plus the live rock allows you to start straight from the ammonia - just a different way of starting the cycle I guess.

Sorry - I thought you were suggesting that starting with the shrimp was better than starting with the ammonia.

will any shrimp work from the store? or do i have to stay away froms ome(maybee perservatives?)

I have added around 4 bottles Each bottle doign around 500gal per bottle. and that was for my 62 gal and had no problems ,I swear by it love the stuff.

it worked for me

Do you mean you can buy bottles of ammonia ? where would we find this ?
If i'm already registering ammonia, nitrites and nitrates i'm assuming I wouldn't need that?

amanda

Nope you won't need it, your tank is already into its cycle :biggrin:

You can buy ammonia solution (note it is not 100% ammonia) at most cleaning supply departments. Make sure you look for one that is additive free (ie unscented and detergent free); no-name brand type products typically fit this bill.

One advantage to using ammonia solution is the higher concentrations of ammonia that can be achieved. The amount of nitrifying bacteria that are present in one's tank will be proportional to the supply of ammonia. More ammonia will create a more robust bacteria colony more quickly. Using a single shrimp in a tank will prompt a cycle but that does not mean you can immediately add a full bioload to the tank once that cycle in completed. The bacteria colony may not be up to the task and another cycle will be triggered.

The disadvantage to the process is the higher concentrations of nitrate that you end up with. This is not an issue with freshwater because once the cycle is completed you simply do a 99% water change and then add your full bioload. Reef systems can eliminate nitrate but maybe not completely at the levels generated with 'fishless' cycling so you may have to do a much larger water change before adding livestock and salt mix not free.

Hold on a sec...

...OK, I'm back. Yeah, I don't think it's working.

Just think of all the stuff besides ammonia in your urine!!

There are also people out there (Waaco, Texas I think) that think it's healthy to drink your own urine. I'm no scientist, but...