Cycling tank for shrimp

Question
I have a new 5 gallon tank. Currently it's set up with water and a heater. I need a filter. I am thinking about a sponge filter but I have also read you can use the HOB with pantyhose over the vent pulled tight and secured with a rubber band. What are your thoughts? Currently the tank is not established. I want to know how long it needs to cycle for RCS (red cherry shrimp). I am hoping to get 10-20 RCS for breeding purposes. I want to feed them to my polypterus and also possibly sell back to my LFS for store credit. Also I am considering housing them with some java moss because I have read it helps with breeding, I guess it makes them feel safe plus it provides a food source.

Ok so I want to know your thoughts on filter, and how to go about cycling this tank correctly for RCS. I have read a lot about them and think I have a good grasp but I also feel you can never be too informed. Any help or insight you can provide would be very appreciated.

Answer
Hi Linda,

I would definitely use the sponge filter or an undergravel filter.  I never liked the whole panty hose deal on a regular unti intake.

The cycling process takes 8-12 weeks but if you do not do this first your shrimp will die from the nitrogen cycling process that takes place in all new tanks.  Ammonia that builds up in the tank cycling process burns and suffocates aquaria from the inside out.  Pet stores will actually suggest that you 'cycle' a tank with fish but to me, it's cruel and plain not necessary and if all of your fish die, which usually does happen, you have to start all over!  Plus, cycling with fish is a LOT MORE WORK!  

The best way to fishlessly cycle is to have access to a well established, healthy tank.  You can scoop out a handful or large netful of gravel, tie it in new, clean pantyhose (DO NOT RINSE IT OFF IN TAP WATER as this will kill the good bacteria you need) and keep it wet in the water from the healthy tank until you place it in yours.  You can bury it in your gravel.  Once the tank is cycled you can pluck out the packet and throw it away.  You can also use filter floss or ceramic media from another tank and place it in your filter.  You can feed the tank a pinch of food each day for an ammonia source.  This is the fatest way and you can cut your cycling time down to about 2 weeks, from the original 8-12.

The other method, if you don't have access to another established tank, is to wrap a piece of raw jumbo cocktail shrimp in clean, new pantyhose and place it in your running tank.  Make sure your tank has the gravel and plants in it, filled with water, with the filter and heater running as you would if you were adding fish.  The shrimp will rot and the bioload will build up and this will also cycle your tank, probably also in about 4-6 weeks.

During the fishless cycling time, DO NO WATER CHANGES.  Buy a liquid drop test kit and every other day or every few days test your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.  During the cycling process you will see your ammonia spike and lower, then your nitrite spike and lower and finally your nitrates will register.  A fully cycled tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5 - 20 ppm nitrate.  Once this is complete, you can do a 25% water change and add some shrimp.  Try and go easy on the 5 gallon, especially since the sponge filter (and an undergravel filter) is going to be weak.  A 10 gallon would be much better.

Good luck : ) April M.