Cycling

[vcnt]

Day 12 of cycle, last night i tested my tanks ability to drop 2 ammonia, i dosed up to 2ppm and woke up to 0. My nitrites are around 5 and nitrates seem really low 0-5 range im not sure. Whats next?

 

[kvansloo]

Congratulations you have completed your first cycle. You can add fish now. I would only add a few at a time. As you add them wait a week or two before adding anything else for the Biome to catch up. keep an eye on nitrates and due water changes at around 10 - 20 ppm.

 

[vcnt]

Congratulations you have completed your first cycle. You can add fish now. I would only add a few at a time. As you add them wait a week or two before adding anything else for the Biome to catch up. keep an eye on nitrates and due water changes at around 10 - 20 ppm.

What kind of a clean up crew?

 

[kvansloo]

How are you setting up the tank and how many gallons is it?

 

[vcnt]

How are you setting up the tank and how many gallons is it?

Sorry, I shoudlve specified, its 110 gallons and what do you mean by how am i setting up the tank.

Ill go get a picture of my tank

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

What kind of a clean up crew?

Here is a good list- Mexican turbo snails, Cerith snails, astrea snail, nassarius snails, nerite snails, assorted hermit crabs- I also have 2 conchs that are terrific cleaners. You can also add some brittle stars, urchins, and peppermint shrimp but I would wait on those another month.

 

[vcnt]

How are you setting up the tank and how many gallons is it?

 

[vcnt]

Here is a good list- Mexican turbo snails, Cerith snails, astrea snail, nassarius snails, nerite snails, assorted hermit crabs- I also have 2 conchs that are terrific cleaners. You can also add some brittle stars, urchins, and peppermint shrimp but I would wait on those another month.

Would 5 or so of each be good? And who would you choose? Reefcleaners or saltwateraquarium

 

[kvansloo]

Fowlr, Reef, ECT. I have a 90 gallon and it has 3 inch sand bed, Live rock, Fish, Mushrooms and some feather dusters. I run 25 blue leg hermit crabs, 25 red leg hermit crabs, 5 trochus snails, 5 margarita snails, 50 Naussaris snails, 1 brittle star, copepods, amphipods, 2 emerald crabs. Do some research on this subject as your tank does not have much Algae yet and some of these will die without it. The hermits will be able to eat most anything you put in. I use Mysis and they eat it well.

 

[vcnt]

Fowlr, Reef, ECT. I have a 90-gallon and it has 3 inch sand bed, Live rock, Fish, Mushrooms and some feather dusters. I run 25 blue leg hermit crabs, 25 red leg hermit crabs, 5 trochus snails, 5 margarita snails, 50 Naussaris snails, 1 brittle star, copepods, amphipods, 2 emerald crabs. Could you do some research on this subject as your tank does not have much Algae yet and some of these will die without it?

That makes more sense. Im definitely going with the reef setup

 

[kvansloo]

That makes more sense. Im definitely going with the reef setup

As I said hermits are ok they will eat mysis and other foods dropped into the tank. and also get you started with life. good luck you your new 110 gallon .

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I will say that I like your aquascape!

 

[vcnt]

I will say that I like your aquascape!

It was mostly my mom who did the scape, im not too good at that stuff:grinning-face-with-sweat:

 

[Oldreefer44]

Day 12 of cycle, last night i tested my tanks ability to drop 2 ammonia, i dosed up to 2ppm and woke up to 0. My nitrites are around 5 and nitrates seem really low 0-5 range im not sure. Whats next?

I would wait until nitrites are zero. They are very toxic to invertebrates. Likely a matter of days but not worth the gamble. Also want to carefully track PO4 as dry rock can leech it causing algae issues.

 

[vcnt]

I would wait until nitrites are zero. They are very toxic to invertebrates. Likely a matter of days but not worth the gamble. Also want to carefully track PO4 as dry rock can leech it causing algae issues.

The rock im using was in a 2 week 10% bleach cure if that makes a difference

 

[Oldreefer44]

May or may not but you will want to track PO4 anyway. Dry rock is great for creative aquascapes like yours but the drawback is that in can take awhile for the system to fully stabilize.

 

[vcnt]

May or may not but you will want to track PO4 anyway. Dry rock is great for creative aquascapes like yours but the drawback is that in can take awhile for the system to fully stabilize.

Could I be getting fish by the weekend?

 

[Oldreefer44]

IMO, as soon as nitrite is at zero go for it.

 

[JayD976]

To answer your other question get your inverts from reefcleaners. I’ve ordered from them many times and always great results with their inverts.

 

[Cell]

I would wait until nitrites are zero. They are very toxic to invertebrates. Likely a matter of days but not worth the gamble. Also want to carefully track PO4 as dry rock can leech it causing algae issues.

Nitrite is not harmful to marine life at the levels we see. Freshwater, yes. Saltwater, no.