Patience is the most important ingredient in aquaristics. A new aquarium needs to establish the so-called nitrogen cycle.
- The rule of thumb: At least 2 weeks.
Why so long? During this time, beneficial bacteria form in the filter and substrate, converting toxic nitrite into non-toxic nitrate. If you were to add the shrimp immediately, they could die from nitrite poisoning (the so-called "nitrite peak").
Tip: You can support the process by "seeding" the water with starter bacteria and occasionally adding a tiny pinch of shrimp food to the empty tank to feed the bacteria.
