When to add your clean up crew?

[Tabasco1]

After you are done cycling your tank, is the next thing to add your cuc? Seems that there wont really be much for them to clean up and they will die off. I know the detrivores can just be fed, but the ones that eat alae... is it best to wait to add those until you see that you have algae to eat? Any recommendations or rules of thumbs of when to add? Should additions be staggered?

 

[fab1971]

It's weird because I just set up a new tank and was thinking the same thing. Of course the first couple of tanks I set up, had live sand and live aguacultured rocks. Tons of life on there to eat. This time around however, I used only dry rock and dead sand(didn't want any of the unwanted pests). What I'm going to do is add a couple of snails and crabs from my established tank and a new fish. In about a week or two I'll add the rest of the clean up crew and a couple of more fish. I figure by then the fish waste and feeding should start the system rolling.

 

[BlazinNano]

If you used all dead sand and rock I would wait a little but if you used live then you could add them. Also if you used all dead then you may not even get a cycle. Add the clean up crew and every day put a little food in there for them to eat. It will also help anything alive stay alive.

 

[Tabasco1]

I will be using live rock that a friend has had in their system for about 4 years and then purchasing some uncured rock to cure myself... I know at risk of stuff, but really want to add the biodiversity and adding that after it is done curing and I am confident I have removed everything I don't want.