How soon can I add clean up guys?

treg

treg

Member
My tank has been going for almost 2 weeks and the cycle hasnt done alot yet, which is fine. Im in no hurry. :)
In the book I have it says to add come clean up guys almost right away. I have some algae starting to collect on the glass... So I guess I could add a few but I do not want to add anything to soon.
The tank is 90 gal with 90 lbs of live rock and 80 lbs of live sand over 40 lbs of Aragonite. No skimmer yet and 2 Hagen 802 power heads.
The PH is a little low @ 7.7 water temp @ 78 Ammonia is still low Nitrite is about in the middle @ 1 and Nitrate is pretty high at 1.0.
Should I just let the algae keep collecting to help with cycle or should I add a few snails and crabs now then more later? Like I said Im not in a great big hurry on getting fish but it would be kind of nice to see something moving in there other then a couple worms that were in my Live Rock. I think they died anyway!
One more thing... The reef package on this site shows I need like 50+ crabs and 30+ snails for my tank. That seems like alot to me, is there really a need for that many crabs and snails? I was thinking more like 10 crabs 5 snails and maybe a shrimp. Plus the wife wants a Purple Lobster. :D
Thanks!
Treg
 
T

thomas712

Guest
I missed it but how much liverock do you have?
If your ammonia is a little low then its still a little toxic do not add cleanup crew while you still have ammonia, thats just my opinion.
Your nitrites also toxic but of course less so than ammonia.
Nitrates high at 1.0 :confused: I think most of us would kill to have nitrates that low.
Wait the cycle out a little longer, let it evolve. My suggestion is to wait for your ammonia and nitrites to read 0, then think about adding your cleanup crew. The longer you wait the better, but of course you want to see something attacking that algea.
Personally I feel that half the number of hermits and snails are good.
Thomas
 
treg

treg

Member
I can wait on those little fellas. My book says the cycle will not hurt them but if you say it can (I would also think it could) I will wait.
What is the best way to raise the PH? Baking soda?
 
treg

treg

Member
Conscientious Marine Aquarist says to use baking soda...
Mix in glass with water from the tank then pour into the filter to add it back to the tank.
 
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elan

Guest
i know alot of members are going to chastise me, but i would start adding a cleanup crew now... no need to wait a whole length of time....
I would get a snail or maybe two, and a couple of blue or red legged hermit crabs (i like red better)..... see how they do in your tank... they arnt going to make a dent in your tank, and you will probably lose track of them.. but at least it will tame the itch of wanting to get something living..;)
I would also let the natural algae bloom take care of itself first... it should go away in a few to several weeks... once that is done.. then start building up the cleanup crew...
idealy, you only want enough cleanup crew to consume the amount of algae your tank produces... i dont think there can be a set ideal number... every tank is different, and every animal is different... you just have to see what works.. i like adding a couple every week or two, and still continue to add them to my tank... once all the algae is gone, stop adding them... if more algae comes, add a few more....
if you put in to many, and there isnt enough algae to feed them, they will probably die.
 
treg

treg

Member
Hi Elan,
Thanks again for some feedback.
About the crabs, Ive read some post's on this site and on others of them killing tank mates. Most say the blue legs are more aggresive and a few say the reds are... I guess my question is
How Agressive can these hermits get? (red or blue) Are the incedents of them killing fish in the tank on rare occassion's or is this something I need to have a plan to protect against happening?
I really dont want to feed a $2 crab a $20 clown or $30 dwarf Angel! :eek: I dont imagine this happens often but would you care to comment on it?
 
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elan

Guest
blues are more likely to kill snails for their shells than reds, or so i hear.
 
uking

uking

New Member
you can use baking soda to cause the ph to jump however you dont want to over do it. One good thing about the stuff they sell at the LFS is that it wll get your ph just where you want it and help keep it there. It most products act as a ph stabilizer. I would just make a trip to the LFS. I would only use baking soda for those late night adjustment when you run out of the manufactured stuff. Good luck!
 
uking

uking

New Member
oh yeah............one more thing. You have already gotten into what t s you want to buy to put n your tank. I would get on line and do some research(like what you are dong now) and figure out what you want in your tank. Are you dong reef? Fish only? Aggressive? 1st fugure out what you want the big pcture to look lke this time next year, then you make your selection. Some things will not work with each other. Thats everything from the lttle creatures to the big stuff. am sure you dont want to waste any money. I would do that first being buyng anything......once you do that then take it slow. Its not a bad idea to drop a few things in there. dont spent a whole heap of money..........there is not telling what will happen.
If you dont have a qurantine tank yet ............get one started. Your gong to need it (more now than ever) you will be spenting a lot of money on your tank in the next 12 months or so. YOU WILL NEED A Q TANK
If you have not already read up on how to introdice your fish to its new home I suggest you do that as well ( for both fish and inverts)
One more thing..............do what works. If you find that what you want to do is a bit far from norm, dont do it. Sure some things may work for some people.......but aint nothin promised. *thats a hint on the baking soda idea(smiles)
 
treg

treg

Member
Thanks for the advice guys.
Im out of town working right now and was with out dial up for a couple nights ( :mad: ) so thats why the slow reply...
So when I add a few crabs and snails I also need to add some empty shells? So the crabs wont kill the snails? Also should I test the Iodine before I add the inverts or can that wait for awile?
I was lost at thomas's comment on my High Nitrate level then I noticed my typo... It wasnt at 1.0 its 100. I'm going to do a water change this weekend when I make it home and probably put off the inverts for atleast another week until I can test the water again.
I did pick up a pH Buffer at a lfs here in the Detroit area so that will be put in this weekend as well. So we wont be attempting the baking soda idea.
Uking,
Im one step ahead of you on figuring out what I want in the tank. :p Ive put off the lights as of now until I decide on some corals and Last week I ordered a book on Clowns (we know we want perculas) & Anemones. Also a book on corals and the book Reef Secretes. So we have a lot of reading to do! :D I do not want anything aggressive and it will be a reef so we are limited on the angels we like so much. It looks like probably just a coral beauty and that will still be taking a chance. Other then that a Hawk fish and my wife wants a Purple Lobster. That is as far as we have got at this time...
Hey BTW, were almost neighbors! Im not far from the Columbus area!
 
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