how long wait to put in cleanup crew/first fish....

[Skeptic9962]

tanks been cycling for about a week now and at first amonia went up to 40 then tested 2 days later it droped to 20 now test results:

PH - 8.0
amonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate- 10
salinity - 1.023 (working on getting it to 1.025 or so)
calc - 350 (working on this also)
alk - 2.5meg/L " "


my question is....did it really cycle this fast? i did have about 10 lbs of real old LR that i put in there and another 10 or so lbs of new LR need to get around 15 more lbs...

 

[Scooterman]

I'd continue testing & wait it out a week or two with the same results at least then It should be a go. Using fully cured LR makes the process quicken up but I still like to give it a little time.

 

[burning2nd]

another week with all good stats and i would add a few snails first.

 

[sryder]

dont add things too quick. you must have algae, detritus and some sort of food for them to eat. if you dont they will die off pretty quick.

 

[joshinjosh]

I wouldnt have any problems adding the first critters now

 

[burning2nd]

double check and go for it...

 

[Katchupoy]

i would add a lot of astrea snails to clean up algae even before they start their cycle. Try to buy those cleaner crew pack for 20 bucks or something. I did not see your tank size so it really depends on it. IMO 1 per gallon.

 

[burning2nd]

i would not go adding a lot of anything... you will end up doing what a lot of people do..

over stock the clean up crew and then when the algae resides the clean up crew will starve..

start slow add a few and a few till you equal out

 

[curro18]

Skeptic, I just had 110 lbs of LR that cured in a week. I added a few snails and about 20 hermits in a 125 g to start working on the algae.

 

[SeaMonster]

if you have LR i'd say add clean up crew and 2 small clowns. my clowns have lived through all my beginner mistakes, never any sign of stress, now nothing can kill them! i put crabs in same day as water and LR. all made it fine, all have now been returned to the store for being evil . i bet you could even put some zoos in there and keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Scooterman]

if you have LR i'd say add clean up crew and 2 small clowns. my clowns have lived through all my beginner mistakes, never any sign of stress, now nothing can kill them! i put crabs in same day as water and LR. all made it fine, all have now been returned to the store for being evil . i bet you could even put some zoos in there and keep your fingers crossed.

This is the kind if stupidity that hurts this hobby more than anything else, I would watch out for remarks like these!

 

[Krish]

if you have LR i'd say add clean up crew and 2 small clowns. my clowns have lived through all my beginner mistakes, never any sign of stress, now nothing can kill them! i put crabs in same day as water and LR. all made it fine, all have now been returned to the store for being evil . i bet you could even put some zoos in there and keep your fingers crossed.

Anyone interested in being successful in this hobby should ignore the quote above. Not the way to go about things in this hobby by far. It is nothing more than a careless way to go about putting innocent marine life in harms way.

 

[SeaMonster]

new people should be aware of those who have turned this hobby into rocket science. I asked my LFS can i cycle my tank with live stock in it? they said not recommended but that what we do to our own tanks!!
lets do an experiment, skeptic, put a pair of common clowns and some cheap zoos in your tank this weekend and tell us what happens. i guarantee you they will show no sign of stress. if they die, i will buy you another pair when you think time is right

also, no name calling, i dunno how old you guy are but its been 3 decades since i called anyone any names.
anger and debate do not go hand in hand

 

[dailydriven911]

new people should be aware of those who have turned this hobby into rocket science. I asked my LFS can i cycle my tank with live stock in it? they said not recommended but that what we do to our own tanks!!
lets do an experiment, skeptic, put a pair of common clowns and some cheap zoos in your tank this weekend and tell us what happens. i guarantee you they will show no sign of stress.

:lol:

 

[Herefishyfishy]

What was it that Forest's mama used to always say? Not about chocolates, the other one.

Agree that there is rarely reason for name calling, but even less reason for indiscriminately wasting reef creatures or other wildlife just to make a weak point. A point that even goes against the recommendation of your LFS who is running against the clock called profit/loss.

This hobby has outgrown the dart-toss trial and error method of seeing if a fish will make it to the end of the month. Why reinvent the wheel and why have I mixed so many metaphors?:lol::lol:

 

[Krish]

new people should be aware of those who have turned this hobby into rocket science. I asked my LFS can i cycle my tank with live stock in it? they said not recommended but that what we do to our own tanks!!
lets do an experiment, skeptic, put a pair of common clowns and some cheap zoos in your tank this weekend and tell us what happens. i guarantee you they will show no sign of stress. if they die, i will buy you another pair when you think time is right

also, no name calling, i dunno how old you guy are but its been 3 decades since i called anyone any names.
anger and debate do not go hand in hand

Actually it is not rocket science, but common sense. It seems like either you don't know all that much about the hobby or that you have no regard for marine life. In any event, I'll give you a quick rundown on what you're doing incase you don't have a clue. You add livestock into a newly setup tank with un-cured liverock and even if your fish and zoo's thrive through it with all the spikes in ammonia and nitrite, doesn't make it right. The toxic nature of ammonia and even nitrite can permanently harm your fish etc. This is why you are supposed to wait until your tank has cycled where all traces of ammonia and nitrite are absent and then introduce your livestock in slowly and safely. It seems like you know this though because you made the comment about putting in zoo's and "keeping your fingers crossed" so my question is why take the chance or even offer this type of advice to people knowing it is not right and then expect others not to say something to you about it?

BTW, who called anyone a name???

 

[MtnDewMan]

We have a great resource library here you may want to dive in and read as well. The information there too discusses ways to cycle your tank to prepare it for livestock. Humane methods are much better than trial and error methods. If you want to take someone's advice to put in an animal to cycle your tank, then I would suggest a piece of shrimp (shrimp tail or something fresh on ice, not live) from your local grocery store Much cheaper, no stress at all on the animal, and no potential of any long term harm or fatality to the animal.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72

 

[Katchupoy]

always test your water parameters. This will tell you if its the right time. If you cannot wait, then probably this is not the hobby for you. Be patient. Do it once, do it right.

 

[SeaMonster]

guys! im talking to people who are brand spanking new to the hobby. have you ever tried to convince the new guy not to buy an anemone? then you know what im talking about. thats how it goes with every hobby, you screw up, THEN you start to listen. untill then, lets keep the new folks from leaving the hobby by not telling them you MUST do a long list of things and you MUST buy a million dollars worth of gear.
enjoy your new hobby, learn from your own mistakes, and have fun experimenting with your reef.

please note that i mentioned Nemo, and easy softies, creatures that i know stay happy in just about any condition.

Im also talking to those of us who attack new guys who make mistakes. every time someone posts about their dying anemone in a 2 week old tank, 30 people attack him and make him feel like he's too dumb for a challenging hobby because of his innocent beginner mistake. we all made mistakes when we first started, now that we know what were doing, lets tell new guy to get out of the hobby?

good luck

 

[MtnDewMan]

There is no long list of things here, so I am unsure what you mean. List includes:

1. Check Ammonia
2. Check Nitrites
3. Check Nitrates

Include water changes.

That's the list. Nothing long or complicated about it. Every new hobbyist should memorize the above list when starting a new tank.