New Salt Tank...when Do I Get A Clean Up Crew???

[xxroyxx]

Just started my tank up I got a 72 bow front, I'm new to this I got about 100 pounds of play sand and 40 pounds of live sand, about 110 pounds of reef base rock (didn't go with live because it was a new tank) and I have about 8 damsels in there now to help with the cycle. I just want to know when I should get a "clean up crew".

 

[spartan78]

Not sure about this, but I would think about a month and a half of your tank running, then it would be safe to buy a cleanup crew. Also, you may want to take out those damsels, they're nasy buggers and tough to get out! Took me forever to get rid of my four!

 

[hot883]

Don't get mad at this response!!!!!!! FISH ARE NOT FOR CYCLING! I wish people would read before doing this. You will kill the fish or permantely BURN their gills during the cycle. I would advise taking the 8 fish back to the LFS, tell them that they are stupid for selling them to you and NEVER go back there.

I have a lot of heart ache about local fish stores that do that as you can tell. If your attitude or theirs is "they are only damsels" then this hobby is not for you. Just my personal opinion, don't have to listen just telling you how I feel. I will not be the only one so don't get mad!

 

[sea_squirt]

I set up my new tank going on 4 wks ago...92 gallon corner tank...My ammonia spiked about the 2nd week...now I am waiting for my nitrites to drop before my first water change...I have a few damsels too...but I also lost a few...unfortunately I listened to my lfs and used damsels to start the cycle...I have since then learned better....I would suggest testing your water everyother day for the first cycle...get a feel for what your tank is doing...I am dying to add corals and more fish...but patience is a virtue

...so I have read...

 

[airforceb2]

'Nuff said about the damsels. As for the clean-up crew, add them after your tank has cycled and it is starting to get dirty.
You have plenty of sand in there. I would have got more LR and less base rock because it will take a while for all that rock to be covered with coraline once you put in pieces of LR.

 

[civileng68]

I agree about the damsel thing.
First of all, if you have little patience, you should stay away from fish tanks. I am a very impatient person but with my tank I had to learn patience.
I dont understand why everyone wants to cycle their tank with all of these extra things.
Mine cycled with live rock alone.
I put live rock in my tank and let it do it's spiking and cycling and within a few weeks that things was primed and perfect and I have NEVER had a single amonia spike, even when overfeeding and adding new fish.
Just take your time. Dont sacrifice fish for the sake of being impatient. Also, in general saltwater fish are expensive. Take your time or else you'll have expensive fish dying, and many fish stores refuse to compensate for a dead fish.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by civileng68
I agree about the damsel thing.
First of all, if you have little patience, you should stay away from fish tanks. I am a very impatient person but with my tank I had to learn patience.
I dont understand why everyone wants to cycle their tank with all of these extra things.
Mine cycled with live rock alone.
I put live rock in my tank and let it do it's spiking and cycling and within a few weeks that things was primed and perfect and I have NEVER had a single amonia spike, even when overfeeding and adding new fish.
Just take your time. Dont sacrifice fish for the sake of being impatient. Also, in general saltwater fish are expensive. Take your time or else you'll have expensive fish dying, and many fish stores refuse to compensate for a dead fish.
I agree with this, but like I said in the other thread that's doing the samething. READ READ and READ before you go any further!!!

 

[sea_squirt]

Originally Posted by civileng68
I put live rock in my tank and let it do it's spiking and cycling and within a few weeks that things was primed and perfect and I have NEVER had a single amonia spike, even when overfeeding and adding new fish.
Quick question...what about your nitrites and nitrates? Do yours increase or fluctuate when adding new fish? Or is it a careful balance between fish/ clean up crew / filteration? Just curious...Thanks.

 

[xxroyxx]

It's not that I don't have patients, I just don't want to spend a $100 on a crew and then they're going to die because they don't have anything to eat or I don't want to wait wehn it's too late and my tank get's really dirty.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by xxROYxx
It's not that I don't have patients, I just don't want to spend a $100 on a crew and then they're going to die because they don't have anything to eat or I don't want to wait wehn it's too late and my tank get's really dirty.
If you are going to leave the fish in there to cycle, then a cleanup crew will be needed sooner. BUT, it will kill them when the ammonia goes high. JUST WAIT several weeks, nothing this early will get that far out of hand.

 

[0verfl0w]

Has anyone purchased one of the reef package clean up crews from this website?