Tank cycled, now what?

DPWalker · 11/30/2012, 08:26 PM

So...

I have a 40B with 20L sump, 45lbs of live rock, 10lbs of base rock, 40 lbs of live sand. Live rock was in a tub for 2+ months, now in the tank set up for one month. Ammonia spike while in tub, mini spike after in tank. There is a little algea on the liverock, none on the sand. I plan on having a reef tank with softies and a few fish and other inverts.

I am in no rush, but what do I need to do next? CUC? Wait for more algea to grow, add a fish or two?

All advice greatly appreciated, thanks

- Dan

cgray07 · 11/30/2012, 08:37 PM

I would start with a hardy relatively inexpensive fish, a few snails and a few hermits. Slow but sure in this hobby

! As for a cuc down the road I'm a firm believer you can never have to many (with reason lol) good luck!!

DPWalker · 12/01/2012, 02:07 PM

I know you should add one fish at a time, but what about inverts? Can a handfull of snails and/or hermit crabs go in at the same time?

sponger0 · 12/01/2012, 02:29 PM

First thing.....QT tank. This is as valuable as your skimmer and can save you alot of heartache.

For a clean up crew, a mix of hermits and snails is a good start. Id start with 20 and if you need more you can always get more. And you can have too many. If you get too many, they will start dying off. Inverts create no bioload to the tank. Fish create bioloads.

Sk8r · 12/01/2012, 02:36 PM

^This. Get a few cerith snails, a few micro-hermits, with a couple of extra shells of the same type, and let them go. You will increase the size of your CUC as your tank ages: right now it's baby, and the early snail poo will increase the strength of that sandbed.

Meanwhile quarantine your first fish---goby, blenny, small species damsel (clown, azure, yellowtail or chromis), gramma, dartfish, chalk bass, etc---but think about where you want to go with the tank, and know that that will pretty well be your fish list for a 40. Wait on any sandsifter until your tank is more mature, about 6 months. Do 4 weeks of qt while that CUC works, and you should be golden.

DPWalker · 12/02/2012, 07:01 AM

THanks for the info. QT is being setup amd hopefully get a fish in there soon. I will try to order some snails and hermits.

11/30/2012, 08:26 PM	#1
DPWalker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 14	Tank cycled, now what? So... I have a 40B with 20L sump, 45lbs of live rock, 10lbs of base rock, 40 lbs of live sand. Live rock was in a tub for 2+ months, now in the tank set up for one month. Ammonia spike while in tub, mini spike after in tank. There is a little algea on the liverock, none on the sand. I plan on having a reef tank with softies and a few fish and other inverts. I am in no rush, but what do I need to do next? CUC? Wait for more algea to grow, add a fish or two? All advice greatly appreciated, thanks - Dan

12/01/2012, 02:36 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	^This. Get a few cerith snails, a few micro-hermits, with a couple of extra shells of the same type, and let them go. You will increase the size of your CUC as your tank ages: right now it's baby, and the early snail poo will increase the strength of that sandbed. Meanwhile quarantine your first fish---goby, blenny, small species damsel (clown, azure, yellowtail or chromis), gramma, dartfish, chalk bass, etc---but think about where you want to go with the tank, and know that that will pretty well be your fish list for a 40. Wait on any sandsifter until your tank is more mature, about 6 months. Do 4 weeks of qt while that CUC works, and you should be golden. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/30/2012, 08:37 PM	#2
cgray07 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 82	I would start with a hardy relatively inexpensive fish, a few snails and a few hermits. Slow but sure in this hobby ! As for a cuc down the road I'm a firm believer you can never have to many (with reason lol) good luck!!

12/01/2012, 02:07 PM	#3
DPWalker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 14	I know you should add one fish at a time, but what about inverts? Can a handfull of snails and/or hermit crabs go in at the same time?

12/01/2012, 02:29 PM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	First thing.....QT tank. This is as valuable as your skimmer and can save you alot of heartache. For a clean up crew, a mix of hermits and snails is a good start. Id start with 20 and if you need more you can always get more. And you can have too many. If you get too many, they will start dying off. Inverts create no bioload to the tank. Fish create bioloads.

12/02/2012, 07:01 AM	#6
DPWalker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: South Texas Posts: 14	THanks for the info. QT is being setup amd hopefully get a fish in there soon. I will try to order some snails and hermits.