When is it safe to get a CUC?

[gmr7494]

I'm almost at the end of my cycle. Water parameters are as follows:

Temp: 79
SG: 1.024
PH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: 10

I've got a diatom bloom and some green hair algae, most of which I was able to pull off. Is it OK to get a CUC right now or should I wait?

[Michael]

when the nitrite has been 0 for several days do a water change and then add some snails

[jason2459]

I waited till ammonia and nitrite was at 0 and the nitrates where close to 0. I know Capn likes to wait till everything is all 0's.

I'd do what Michael suggested and wait a bit and get a good water change in. Shouldn't take to long for the nitrites to hit 0.

[gmr7494]

Wohooo! Just tested my water parameters. Day 7:

SG: 1.024
Temp: 79
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Double woohoo!

Next question, how much of a water change should I do now that my tank has stabilized?

[Michael]

i personally suggest 25% just to ensure you dilute any nitrate that may be in the tank.

[gmr7494]

Thank you for the helpful advice! Can't wait to get my CUC. This diatom bloom looks terrible.

[ludnix]

Try to go slow with the clean up crew, it's easy to get too many and then watch them die off, especially when lots of websites reccommend 50, 100, 200 snails for even small tanks.

[gmr7494]

I went to reefcleaners.org after reading a lot of good testimonials for them. The guy there recommended the following cleanup crew for my 22-gallon cadlights tank.

20 Dwarf Ceriths - small effective cleaners
9 Nassarius - these guys should come after the fish, they are scavengers
9 Florida Ceriths
6 Blue Legs
7 Nerite

Does this sound about right?

[Mopar Reefer]

Seems like a lot for a 22gal. I would go with half that to start out with. I have 10 nass, 5 cerith in my 24 nano and they do a good job at keeping it clean.

[jason2459]

I ordered snails from reefcleaners.org and got my blue legs locally mainly because if you order just snails you only have to pay for priority usps shipping which is really cheap plus their prices on snails is unbeatable. Their prices on crabs is really cheap to but if you don't live close to them you have to pay for quite a bit in shipping to get it to you next day and kind of defeats the price point on the crabs.

I got for my 55g
25-30 dwarf ceriths (I ordered 25 and I know I got more then that. They are very small)
5 Florida Ceriths which are bigger and different style of shell.
10 Nerites I think it was.

The cerith snail both small and large will be in a deep comma when you get them for several days. They warn you about that on their acclimation page and was very true with the ones I got. Make sure to read their acclimation page. If you already have crabs or shrimps you should quarantine them till they wake up so they don't become breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I lost a few small ceriths to the blue legs I had in there. The Nerites where active in the tank as soon as they hit bottom.

Along with the snails I got locally or hitched a ride into my tank
7 Blue leg hermits (2 came as hitchhikers on live rock)
1 Red leg (hitchhiker)
1 Nerite (hitchhiker)
1 Bloodred (fire) shrimp
1 Scarlet Skunk cleaner shrimp
4 peppermint shrimp

They all seem to do pretty good at cleaning up the tank. I'm thinking of ordering some nassarius snails (probably 5 or so) and a few more nerites from reefcleaners now. I really like the nerites as each one has a different design and pattern on their shells.

[jason2459]

Btw, I think you'll be fine with that many dwarf ceriths because they are really small. Mine seem to like to stick to the substrate during the day and some will go on the glass at night. The nerites really like to go all over the rock work and some on the glass. Haven't had any problems of anything climbing out of the tank.