Inverts in a newer tank(??)

alianated

alianated

Member
Hiya everyone!!
I have a question...
I have been given 3 different opinions when it comes to inverts in a newer tank.
I have been told by the lfs that inverts can be introduced after the first 7 days or so as long as the tank is showing good #s.
Normally I disregard these guys, but they brought up a valid point in that people often put live rock into a brand new tank and often have 'stow aways' that live just fine even though the tank is newer and hasnt completely cycled yet.
Then, I have heard others here say NOTHING goes in until the tank cycles. (Roughly 6 weeks)
Then, the final opinion I have heard on this is that inverts are an important part of the cycle process and should be introduced about 2 weeks into the cycle period to aid in the cycle.
My wife bought me 3 emerald crabs and im into week 2 of my aquariums life. The crabs seem fine, but I don't want to push my luck with a couple hermits unless there is a good chance they would live. My numbers were low (.25 amo and nit) on Sunday but I also hear that I should expect spikes soon. My tank is growing a LOT of algae even though I have cut the hours of light down to about 6 hours recently. So if inverts are fine I would like to put some cleaners in there, but I dont want to send some poor hermits to their deaths either...
Any advice?? I humbly ask the pros to give a lil help..
alianated www.alianated.com
 
gobylover

gobylover

Member
Well,I'm not a pro but I'll give you my 2 cents.My tank is a little over a year old now.I have had my hermit since day 4 and my emerald since week 2.They have done fine.My lfs which I trust told me to get conde anemones to help cycle and they would make it through the cycle.I have not had any luck with them at all.The longest one has lasted,even after tank was 6 months old,was 3 weeks.I know others have had success with them but not me.HTH ;)
 
alianated

alianated

Member
Thanks Goby!! Did you try anything else besides that specific anemone (IE: mushrooms, etc)?? And if so, what DID work??
 
josh f

josh f

Member
Here's my limited experience, I put in a CBS after about a week and it has been 3months now and the tank has finished cycling and the shrimp is ding very well, so well in fact that he killed a domino damsel, I think it was sick when I got it from the LFS, but he finished it off, all I know it that the water wasn't at optimum when he went in, but I did keep an eye on him and he has been active always, also I put in a hermit, left handed I think the DAY I set up the tank, and he is doing well also, molted a few times and has moved to a bigger shell twice, this may not have been smart, but I guess I'm just lucky.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Active Member
I am not an expert either... but I thought my experience might be worth something. My tank is just over a year old. When I initially set it up, I ran an undergravel filter with 2 powerheads, a cc substrate, and nothing else. I filled it up with water and let the water cycle for about 2 days. Then I added 10 or 12 (I don't remember exacly) cheap, hardy damsels to cycle the tank. After about 3 weeks, I returned the damsels to my lfs and started purchasing LR and fish... everything has been fine since then.
I would imagine you would be fine with inverts as long as they are very hardy... I would stay away from anemones personally because my experience shows they can be rather fickle at times. Go with some hardy critters... blue hermits, emeralds, and the like, and a few fish to get the tank cycling. Watch your numbers closely though... my experience tells me that critters do better with constant low levels of nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, etc than they do with none, then a lot, then none, etc. Get my drift?
Good luck with your stuff.
Oh, and nice site too! Good work with the flash.
 
gobylover

gobylover

Member
I would say just get a couple different inexpensive crabs to start out.If they don't make it,you won't be out much.Everyone I know has had crabs early on.You could also get a couple snails.What are you using to cycle the tank?
 
tangs_in_pacifica

tangs_in_pacifica

Member
Crabs are tough... shrimp, however, are more sensitive. I like adding crabs early on, but lately I've been cycling tanks with good LR & LS.
 
alianated

alianated

Member
Cool!! Thank you all!! I really appreciate all the good answers. One thing I love about you guys is that you usually answer AND give a reason. (Unlike the LFS who typically says, "Yes" or "No" and rarely gives an explanation that makes sense. I had a lady tell me (trying to explain why I needed ONE Coral Sun flour bulb ONLY for my 50 Gal Tank That she knew would be reef eventually) "Well, thats all you need... see it shows coral in the diagram" LOL
Thanks for all the info, oh and thanks for the compliment on the site. :) With a lil luck I will one day have my aquarium on the site all flashed out :p
alianated www.alianated.com
 
damsel in distress

damsel in distress

Member
alianated, I just want to tell you that you have a wonderful website! My fiancee and I were looking at it, and we thought it was awesome! So great, we played it twice...LOL
Anyway, WELCOME to the BB family!!!! :) :D
 
alianated

alianated

Member
Thank you!!! :)
That would be the 'other' hobby hehe
Im currently working on the next intro, hehe I don't know if you saw, but there is a teaser at the first site that shows a little about it. :)
Thanks for all the info guys...
I would love to tell you what I did to make it cycle faster, but honestly, I have no clue, I just know my readings are all in the green and I'm just as baffled as everyone else... what I DO know is these are somethings I did when I set it up.
a) I put the salinity about 3 pnts higher than the normal amount at first set up and it stayed at the higher end of the 'safe zone' throughout. (This was a newbie mistake)
b) I put water conditioner in the tank the same night I set it up and over poured how much I put in (I didnt realize there was a dropped, nor that it was such a SMALL amount that you put in)
c) I kept a light on it the first 24 hours non stop and at least 10 hours a day the first 4 days. (After that, algae was growing at an INSANE rate, so I shut it down to 7 hours a day)
d) I introduced 6 damsels the day after setting it up. One died the next morning, but he was getting beat up the night I put him in and I get the feeling the other damsels, not the water, did him in. The rest are still kicking (Now... to get them out ?? lol)
e) I researched and know that my water here is not from a well, and is apparently all new water lines (new home in a newly developed area that just recently became part of Elk Grove City)
f) I got my live rock from 3 different places over a week's period. One place in particular gave me pieces that were COVERED in living organisms. (Small feather dusters(?))
I am using what looks like hard sand, I was told it was 'Thin Crushed Coral'
Other than that and introducing emeralds, snails and hermit crabs as soon as the algae got out of control, I have no idea that I did anything different from what people (Only added a couple of each totaling 6 animals plus 6 damsels)
I know there are newbie mistakes GALORE there, but Im just sharing what I did in case it makes sense to someone how it might have sped up the cycle. I do know that when I got the animals, every time I got a little sand, shells, or something in the bag and the bag was large. (Not saying it means anything, but maybe considering how much 'cycled' water was in those bags it helped make a difference to by adding extra micro-organisms or something... more newbie thoughts im sure)
Anyways, I didnt really want to say what I did with my tank cause I know its full of mistakes.. (Be merciful Burn, lol) but I didn't want to give the impression I knew what I was doing and refused to share either.
:)
Have a good day all
alianated www.alianated.com
 
alianated

alianated

Member
ermm.. and I just realized I answered an ENTIRELY different post here, rofl.. sorry..
The longwinded answer on here was actually meant for the "To Change Water or NOT to change water" post.
::::EMBARRASED::::
Sorry guys, hehe
alianated www.alianated.com
 
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