First life in tank. Means ill need CUC Soon. Need your thoughts.

southerntnreefer

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Looking at reef cleaners to get an order in in the next 2 or 3 weeks. ( lights come on in 3 more weeks) Got a set of clowns that are eating in there now. Skimmer just broke in.

This is what they reccomend for the 72 size of tank.


78 Dwarf Ceriths -

15 Nassarius vibex -

27 Florida Ceriths -

26 Nerites -


would you do half of this at once, a quarter? Seems all at once is always a bad idea, but trying to plan out my attack. Tank will be 8 weeks old when lights come on. Taking this one slow.
 

RobB'z Reef

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I think they way oversize them, unless you have rampant algae issues you could probably do with less. They also tend to ship more than what you order as well. I just received my first shipment from them earlier this week.

The worst packaging I've ever seen for livestock, ever. Box was badly damaged (not reef cleaners fault, but it's not packaged to withstand any damage either). I took the priority mail option. Never again, it took four days and there was a lot of death. Again, I don't blame reef keepers for shipping delays, but after what I learned from how they package, I'll never go that option again. What survived is fine, but I estimate I lost a third of what I ordered. I'll go back, but I'll get the overnight next time. Just my experience.
 
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southerntnreefer

southerntnreefer

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I think they way oversize them, unless you have rampant algae issues you could probably do with less. They also tend to ship more than what you order as well. I just received my first shipment from them earlier this week.

The worst packaging I've ever seen for livestock, ever. Box was badly damaged (not reef cleaners fault, but it's not packaged to withstand any damage either). I took the priority mail option. Never again, it took four days and there was a lot of death. Again, I don't blame reef keepers for shipping delays, but after what I learned from how they package, I'll never go that option again. What survived is fine, but I estimate I lost a third of what I ordered. I'll go back, but I'll get the overnight next time. Just my experience.
Yea I'd choose overnight anyways. We're in TN so florida isn't that far in shipping time anyway. What would you suggest for first order then? It's likely too soon too eh? Like no lights on and just the first full day with clowns
 
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southerntnreefer

southerntnreefer

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Without lights I got no algae what so ever.
IMG_20201112_122716.jpg
IMG_20201112_122714.jpg
 

Uncle99

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Way to new for cleaners. That looks like 5-7 times what you need, if any.
No food, will die, and make your tank explode in pest algae.
This is one of the most common errors.
clowns are a fine post cycle start.
A couple of each you mention is a good start.
You will keep your tank clean by providing perfect, stable, on point water, day in and day out.
Get a test kit for everything, test weekly, work towards the normal ranges and once there, work to keep them on point....

In the tank below, a 180g.
10 Nassarius
5 Mexican turbos
10 Astrea.
0 crabs.

For reference my numbers are.
Temp 78-79......Max 1 degree variance
Salinity 1.026.....using ATO.....no variance
Nitrate 2-5ppm.....for at least first year
Phosphate 0.03-.1 max.....for at least first year
MG....1260-1360ppm
CA......420-460ppm
Alk......8.0-8.5ppm.........this one like salinity.....very important.....min flux
I also dose carbon in the form of Nopox.

CA73EC0D-0A31-481D-BEFB-842A578AC6C1.jpeg
 
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RobB'z Reef

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Without lights I got no algae what so ever.
IMG_20201112_122716.jpg
IMG_20201112_122714.jpg
Oh yeah, way too soon. Wait till it starts showing signs of life. You'll know when. That's the one thing that drives me nuts, they are really dishonest in their recommendations. I mean I know they're in business to make money, but that's not the way to build credibility. Like the other poster mentioned, buy them too soon, they starve. Buy the recommended tank amount, they starve. I think I bought a 50 gallon package or so for my 180, with the losses from shipping seems about right. I'm still learning as I go myself.
 
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southerntnreefer

southerntnreefer

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Oh yeah, way too soon. Wait till it starts showing signs of life. You'll know when. That's the one thing that drives me nuts, they are really dishonest in their recommendations. I mean I know they're in business to make money, but that's not the way to build credibility. Like the other poster mentioned, buy them too soon, they starve. Buy the recommended tank amount, they starve. I think I bought a 50 gallon package or so for my 180, with the losses from shipping seems about right. I'm still learning as I go myself.
It's not my first tank, but my last one I kinda just did it as I learned.. trying to really do this one right. I figure I will turn lights on at 2 months and see how things go, and order some snails at a quarter of what they suggest ( not a fan of hermits ) and see how everyone settles. Can always order again. Right now it's a 72 gallon tank with 2 small clowns
 
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southerntnreefer

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Way to new for cleaners. That looks like 5-7 times what you need, if any.
No food, will die, and make your tank explode in pest algae.
This is one of the most common errors.
clowns are a fine post cycle start.
A couple of each you mention is a good start.
You will keep your tank clean by providing perfect, stable, on point water, day in and day out.
Get a test kit for everything, test weekly, work towards the normal ranges and once there, work to keep them on point....

In the tank below, a 180g.
10 Nassarius
5 Mexican turbos
10 Astrea.
0 crabs.

For reference my numbers are.
Temp 78-79......Max 1 degree variance
Salinity 1.026.....using ATO.....no variance
Nitrate 2-5ppm.....for at least first year
Phosphate 0.03-.1 max.....for at least first year
MG....1260-1360ppm
CA......420-460ppm
Alk......8.0-8.5ppm.........this one like salinity.....very important.....min flux
I also dose carbon in the form of Nopox.

CA73EC0D-0A31-481D-BEFB-842A578AC6C1.jpeg
Oh absolutely. This isn't my first tank, just making sure I do this one right from the start this time.

I've got nyos for nitrate, CAL I need to order but will be red sea, mag is salifert, alk is hanna and phos is Hanna. Also hanna salinity checker. I also run an apex on the system for real time ph and temp as well as other controls.
 

Uncle99

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Oh absolutely. This isn't my first tank, just making sure I do this one right from the start this time.

I've got nyos for nitrate, CAL I need to order but will be red sea, mag is salifert, alk is hanna and phos is Hanna. Also hanna salinity checker. I also run an apex on the system for real time ph and temp as well as other controls.
Perfect....be a water expert and CUC becomes so less relevant.
Good luck.
 

Indytraveler83

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I've never bought the recommended packages from reef cleaners. I just order individually what I want, and my crew is probably about 1/2 of the recommendation.

And as others have said it's not reefcleaners fault, but 2-3 day mail is running waaaaay slow right now. My order a few weeks ago took 7 days to arrive and was just a half frozen box of goo. I'd order overnight if I needed to buy from them again soon.
 
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southerntnreefer

southerntnreefer

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I've never bought the recommended packages from reef cleaners. I just order individually what I want, and my crew is probably about 1/2 of the recommendation.

And as others have said it's not reefcleaners fault, but 2-3 day mail is running waaaaay slow right now. My order a few weeks ago took 7 days to arrive and was just a half frozen box of goo. I'd order overnight if I needed to buy from them again soon.
I mean I can get it local too, but I've heard nothing but good about reef cleaners and it saves me an hour to hour and a half drive 1 way...I don't mind paying extra for overnight. My fish come overnight, cuc should too.

Usually when it's time I add a conch or 2 to the sandbed, and a bunch of others. This time I'd like to avoid turbos and hermits.
 

Uncle99

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Amen to that! That's why I'm really waiting for 2 months to turn my lights on. To help the tank stabilize a bit before I add any fuel to the algae game.
Very smart.
Tanks allowed to mature have solid stable water chemistry.
Then, no matter what you toss in, it thrives......otherwise....battle....battle....battle.
 
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southerntnreefer

southerntnreefer

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Very smart.
Tanks allowed to mature have solid stable water chemistry.
Then, no matter what you toss in, it thrives......otherwise....battle....battle....battle.
I can't take credit. It's close to the BRS 4 month cycle. I hit it with 3 different bottles of bacteria for a good base of strains of good bacteria. I figure by then too the clowns will be comfortable and settled. Next fish will be sometime in January, and likely test frags of coral sometime on late January or February. Gives the tank a couple months with lights to figure things out and settle in.
 

RobB'z Reef

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I can't take credit. It's close to the BRS 4 month cycle. I hit it with 3 different bottles of bacteria for a good base of strains of good bacteria. I figure by then too the clowns will be comfortable and settled. Next fish will be sometime in January, and likely test frags of coral sometime on late January or February. Gives the tank a couple months with lights to figure things out and settle in.
You sound like you have a solid plan. Takes a lot of patience, so kudos to you for taking the slow road! Just getting to the point of thinking about a test frag or two myself.
 
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southerntnreefer

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You sound like you have a solid plan. Takes a lot of patience, so kudos to you for taking the slow road! Just getting to the point of thinking about a test frag or two myself.
I've learned a few things along the way over the years and each tank I've fired up. This one took a year to build out to water in it. What's a few more months right? I figure after the holidays we will see where we are on coraline showing up, and stability of systems. If we look good, I usually try a zoa frag and a head or 2 of hammer in and see what happens. We shall see. It's been a nice distraction during these times to have a build to work on.
 

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Great information on this thread. I am about 1-2 weeks from adding water to my 1st nano reef build. Just recently stumbled across the BRs 4 month recommendation of no lights and I must say.....I am bummed! But I've had tanks in the past with endless battles of algae and it's terrible. So I'm going to follow it. I'm focused on a year from now not next month. But man, it's going to be tough. Can anyone recommend bacterial additives to aid in my cycle and establishing good parameters so when lights come around I'm in a great spot with respect to water quality?
 
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