Sacrificial shrimp has been placed....

Wouldn't this be a good time to break the skimmer in and let the micro bubbles flow before it's time to add stock?

 

Immortal sure why people add shrimp when they buy live rock. There is more than enough die off on the rock and bacteria and what not to cycle the aquarium.

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I wasn't seeing any measurable levels of ammonia so that's why I proceeded with my sacrifice to the cycling gods....

 

LOL ;D enjoy the smell haha

 

Not even any nitrates?

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Not just yet. Right now is when you want the bacteria in your DT (and your sump/fuge if you've built one) to thrive on every single dead thing your tank can provide. Your skimmer is designed to take out fluid proteins before they get a chance to turn into ammonia--->Nitrite----->and Nitrate. But in the background, you actually want your tank to be able to handle the 'crap' that's put into it. If at an early stage you deprive your tank from developing a biological memory, you only set the stage for a later nutrient 'Spike' that will stress your animals. The first month should literally be focused on growing bacteria. Then you add a clean up crew, snails, crabs, maybe some more rock. Watch your perams closely each week for 3 more weeks and wait till the diatoms are eaten by your CUC. (the brown dust that you've been disgusted about for a week now) That stuff is food for the crabs and snails. Once that disappears and all your params are at 0, you are clear to put a fish or two in. I would recommend using garlic in the food. I learned the hard way and my clown got mouth wrought and died. And my bicolor blenny also bit the dust. Since using mashed garlic nothing so much has even thought of any disease in my tank.

 

HAHA!!! That's exactly what my wife told me last night!! Oh..... wait......now I get it...... :-[

 

You people crack me up!!!;D I like this forum, very cool people!

 

lol

 

Hilarious! ;D