"Victor M. Martinez" wrote:
Fish start producing waste immediately, it should be evident within 24
hours.
Not usually. The waste is deluted with 20 gallons of water. I've kept
fish in plastic shoeboxes for a week with no water changes and no
bacterial colony and have minimal ammonia readings. The waste needs time
to build up to measuarble amounts.
I would have waited a month to add more than a few fish and
the shrimp.
That would defeat the purpose of using this product in the first place.
All I'm saying is that I would have waited to be completely sure the
cycle is over before adding even more fish. Even if you don't have any
ammonia readings, it will certainly take more than a few days for the
nitrite to build up. IMO, a little patience is best then dead fish and
shrimp.
I don't trust such 'products'. If your really in a hurry and jump start,
two weeks with aged filter media and a small fish load is all I need to
cycle a tank.
--
Sherry Michael Weller
SAS Distributed Desktop Support
www.psych.upenn.edu/~sherrym