Tank Cycled, Lights Off, Next Step?

[Hamsnacks]

So the tank is only about 3 weeks old but but was setup with Ocean Direct Live Sand, Couple pieces of live rock, media from an established tank and Fritz Bacteria in a bottle. Pair of clownfish for the last 2 weeks, introduced a cardinal, goby and shrimp a few days ago. Ammonia and nitrite staying at 0. No clean up crew.

No ugly phase yet either.

The lights have been off the entire time.
My question is what is the next step for me?

Should I introduce the lights for about 4hrs a day to initiate the ugly phase and bring in the cuc?

Or should I start with some coral and have a full light cycle and battle the algae as it comes?

Thank you.

 

[Naekuh]

did you do your 30-40% water change at the end of cycle to dump excess nitrate?

Test nitrate... if its high like over 20ppm, do a 20% since u already have fishes inside, and then start with some coral.
You do not want to blast lights at full because u will burn out that coral unless you got weak lights.

But start with something hardy, something cheap, to test waters, thats not too invasive.
Then grow out from there with the more nicer and colorful stuff.

 

[fishyjoes]

When I started my tank I had never had corals before so I felt safer running the lights with no corals until I started getting diatoms, etc - then added some clean up crew, then a few weeks later some corals.

I think either way is fine, kind of just depends on your experience

A really valuable thing for "what's next" if you plan on adding more fish would be to think about how to QT new arrivals so you don't end up wiping out what you already have.

 

[Frans1992]

When I started my tank I had never had corals before so I felt safer running the lights with no corals until I started getting diatoms, etc - then added some clean up crew, then a few weeks later some corals.

I think either way is fine, kind of just depends on your experience

A really valuable thing for "what's next" if you plan on adding more fish would be to think about how to QT new arrivals so you don't end up wiping out what you already have.

You best get some copepods they eat diatoms.