So how much longer would you wait?

[frozenguy]

My tank has been set up for like 8 or 9 days.. i put in 16#LR and 20#LS.. Its a 10gallon. the second day I saw ammonia spike to .25/.5 then nitrites showed some activity too about the same time.. by the next day both were zero and have been since. nitrates have played around 10-15 but now are at 5. I had a raw scallop in there for 4 days. no change in ammonia with that.. can I put in a cleaner crew? how much of a bio load is that? like 12 snails, some hermits and a couple crabs? maybe not all at once..

 

[mie]

I would give it about one more week then start with a small cleaner crew, do you have the brown alage yet?

 

[frozenguy]

no... but i only started using lights yesterday.. it was in a well lit room from the sun.. but not next to a window.. across the room from the window in fact..

 

[laddy]

If you don't meter any ammonia or nitrites, and your nitrates are low....<.10 then I'd add the fish you wanted to add.

 

[mie]

You need diatoms and some alage or detrius for the crabs and snails to eat so if none is present i would just wait it out. i'm sure that you allready know this though