another cycling question

[webdr]

how long into the process till i can add some snails/a few crabs or shrimp to aid in the process?
Matt

[Kevin1000]

Adding shrimp crabs or snails won't aid the cycling process -- I don't recommend adding anything until tank has cycled (both ammonia and nitrite are zero).

[webdr]

am i wrong to say some nitrite is good for the tank or zero is best?

[reefworried124]

I put 20 hermits 10 turbo snails 10 astreas in my tank right when my nitrate reached 0. Thats what I did. But then again, the lawnmower blenny died though...... just my 2 cents

[Kevin1000]

am i wrong to say some nitrite is good for the tank or zero is best?

Nitrite is considered toxic and a cycled tank should not show any readings.

[yardboy]

Originally Posted by reefworried124

I put 20 hermits 10 turbo snails 10 astreas in my tank right when my nitrate reached 0. Thats what I did. But then again, the lawnmower blenny died though...... just my 2 cents

Nitrate starts out at zero, do you mean nitrite? Ammonia converts to nitrite, converts to nitrate and if you're luck converts to nitrogen. Only nitrate is relatively non-toxic. Well, and nitrogen too.

[btang]

wait until your cycle is complete. Also, make sure you have a good amount of algae for the clean up crew to clean up. They go thru it pretty quick.

[reefworried124]

OOPS did i say nitrate??? put an "i" in there

[Deuce24]

ok, I know what you guys are talking about and your "i"s and "a"s are confusing ME!

The crabs don't need a lot of algae to survive. I have 7 of them (1 scarlet reef, 6 algae hermits) and I don't have any algae at all really (just some diatoms, they don't seem to touch those), but the crabs are doing just fine. More than likely they get all their food from the mysis, flake and pellet that my fish don't eat. They all seem to be doing quite well.

[webdr]

thanks 4 the info....how will i know my tank is fully cycled and i can add a little life to it?

[Doug1]

Again, when the ammonia and Nitrite reading zero out, then you can slowly add a few critters, remember anything that eats poops and waste left in the tank decomposes creating ammonia and other nasties. When the waste input exceeds the resident denitrifying bacterias ablity to break it down to the less toxic forms, you get whats called an ammonia spike. To some extent this is normal and OK as it encourages the bacteria population to increase and meet the demand. When you add too much , too fast or have poor housekeeping habits the waste can overwhelm the bacterias ability to convert and you have a major spike, that not dealt with can cause more organisms to die off perpetrating the vicious cycle.
Some fish(like damsels) are less prone to dying outright from ammonia poisoning, thats why they used to use damsels to cycle tanks back in the days before live rock. However rock will cycle itself so there is no reason to abuse animals. Some fish are very sensitive to even small amounts of ammonia, and thats why its recommended that a tank have a chance to settle down and mature before adding more delicate fish, such as tangs and most angels or butterflies.
Add critters slowly so that the bacteria populations can ramp up to meet the available food levels. Even tho snails and crabs consume algae and little left overs they still poop so the waste is still in the system. You need a plan to remove it for long term success, HTH

[Phishnoob]

Yeah what Doug said.

I was able to add some critters about six weeks in which was a couple of weeks after Nitrites vanished and a trace of Nitrates came up.

Based on my own experiences wait a month with a few critters then stick your first fish in there. It takes ages it seems like but having something die is a lot worse.