WOO-HOO!!! Nitrites at Zero.....Now what?

[jerseyguy1996]

So ammonia is now zero....nitrites are zero......nitrates are at 20 (down from 40) and sand (aragonite) should be arriving on Monday. So what do I do now? Can I start adding things to the tank and if so.....what do I add first? I hear people talk about the cleaning crew. What comprises a good cleaning crew?

[Casey]

Start with a good clean up crew snails ,hermits,whatever you like,I personally love my snails.

[Loverotties]

Some places give you a deal on a mixture of clean up crew as a package deal.

[xtopher]

I personally don't like hermits because they will kil ANY turned over snail, free meal/home. what's the point in buying snails for hermit meals? JMO

[russbriscoe]

Here is where i buy my cleanups http://www.reeftopia.com/

While it is true the crabs eat the snails, they also eat other stuff too. I would get a good mix of snails and crabs and maybe a couple emeralds to keep the bubble algae away. After that, get a fish and coral.

[aclos3]

I would add the sand and some rock and wait a bit. Wait for things to stabilize just a bit more and then go ahead and the clean up crew. Make sure you get snails that can turn themselves over! I think its a matter of finding the right snails. I've seen plenty of setups where the snails arent just constantly dying, but I seem to have bad luck.

[jerseyguy1996]

Originally Posted by aclos3

I would add the sand and some rock and wait a bit. Wait for things to stabilize just a bit more and then go ahead and the clean up crew. Make sure you get snails that can turn themselves over! I think its a matter of finding the right snails. I've seen plenty of setups where the snails arent just constantly dying, but I seem to have bad luck.

The rock has been curing in the tank as the tank has been cycling. I have 44 lbs of Fiji and 70 lbs of Tonga in a 50 gallon tank. It actually looks a bit crowded with all of that rock so I may put a few pieces in the sump. Check here for my current tank set up:
http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93297

Will adding the sand cause any additional cycle? It is not live sand. It is this stuff http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113554.

[know-it-all]

Originally Posted by russbriscoe

Here is where i buy my cleanups http://www.reeftopia.com/

While it is true the crabs eat the snails, they also eat other stuff too. I would get a good mix of snails and crabs and maybe a couple emeralds to keep the bubble algae away. After that, get a fish and coral.

I'll second Reeftopia.

great people to work with, and really Reef club friendly

[betamed]

add the sand and see what happens. Adding a few clean up critters would likely be OK. Turbo snails eat the ulgly brown algae if you have that. I have only liked the smaill blue leg hermits.

[Hardhead Cat]

I like Reeftopia too - I only buy very tiny reef hermits and astrea, margarita or very few Mexican turbo snails. They don't cause issues between themselves that I've noticed.

HHC

[jerseyguy1996]

Originally Posted by betamed

add the sand and see what happens. Adding a few clean up critters would likely be OK. Turbo snails eat the ulgly brown algae if you have that. I have only liked the smaill blue leg hermits.

Ya the ugly brown algae is all over everything but on the plus side, a lot of the green stringy stuff has died back.

[fishinchick]

Hermits: a necessary evil.

I hate them. I do. Yes they go after snails but over a period of time. Remember that 90% of the snails we put in our tanks come from the cooler waters of Mexico. In about a year the metabolism of these guys is going to slow to nill when the warmer water in our tanks takes it's toll.

They die.

This is why you should recharge your cleanup crew periodically. I usually find that the snails the hermits often go after are ones that havent been moving that fast. This means they are likely dying slowly. Animals in our reef know that something is going to die long before you and I often notice.

See: Bristleworms.

If your nitrates are at 20 I'd give it another week before cramming your tank full of stuff. Do a nice 15% water change and give it a bit. I can't tell new hobbists enough about how you are creating a delicate eco system out of what was a septic system.

The more you push your tank now while it's in it's first six months of existence, the more problems you are likely to come up with later. When you push a young tank you often end up with what people dismiss as "New Tank Syndrome" which should actually be phrased "I have no ability to restrain my impulse buys and cram my tank full of junk too fast" syndrome.

Slow Down. You are already jumping the gun..... unless of course you want algae problems then go right ahead.

If you want to ditch the brown algae faster, a common diatom bloom once the nitrates are on the way out, do that water change and knock your photoperiod down to a couple hours a day. Right now with no corals in place, you need your lights on like a puppy needs more feet.

[Geoff]

just wait.

if the snails are picked correctly they will last a lot longer than the hermits. i do not like hermits.

i suggest a combination of Astreas, Ceriths, and Trochus. i was given 2 Trochus a year ago. as of now i prolly have close to a 100 in the tank. i was accidentaly given some hermits prolly close to 40. i have a feeling i have 6 left. hermits are a waste of money.

i would put the sand in, wait a couple of weeks for the sand to settle down and get weighed down by bacteria.

G~

[jerseyguy1996]

Originally Posted by fishinchick

Hermits: a necessary evil.

I hate them. I do. Yes they go after snails but over a period of time. Remember that 90% of the snails we put in our tanks come from the cooler waters of Mexico. In about a year the metabolism of these guys is going to slow to nill when the warmer water in our tanks takes it's toll.

They die.

This is why you should recharge your cleanup crew periodically. I usually find that the snails the hermits often go after are ones that havent been moving that fast. This means they are likely dying slowly. Animals in our reef know that something is going to die long before you and I often notice.

See: Bristleworms.

If your nitrates are at 20 I'd give it another week before cramming your tank full of stuff. Do a nice 15% water change and give it a bit. I can't tell new hobbists enough about how you are creating a delicate eco system out of what was a septic system.

The more you push your tank now while it's in it's first six months of existence, the more problems you are likely to come up with later. When you push a young tank you often end up with what people dismiss as "New Tank Syndrome" which should actually be phrased "I have no ability to restrain my impulse buys and cram my tank full of junk too fast" syndrome.

Slow Down. You are already jumping the gun..... unless of course you want algae problems then go right ahead.

If you want to ditch the brown algae faster, a common diatom bloom once the nitrates are on the way out, do that water change and knock your photoperiod down to a couple hours a day. Right now with no corals in place, you need your lights on like a puppy needs more feet.

So here is the plan.....stop me if any of this sounds wrong.
1. Add the sand next week when it comes in.
2. Try to aquascape the tank a little better and let it sit for another week.
3. Keep doing the water change.
4. Shorten my photo period to a few hours a day.
5. Head to the LFS to get some snails and hermit crabs.
6. In another few weeks or so throw one fish in and see how he does and then slowly add animals one at a time waiting a few weeks in between each one to let the tank stabilize? Does that sound about right?
6.

[leveldrummer]

sounds like a GREAT plan!