Cycled Now What?

Thanks for all your help, the article is good. Ill update this thread as i progress

 

In a perfect world, your Nh3/4, No2 and No3 should be zero after you finish your cycle. You can add more than one crab or snail if you want to, just dont add alot. When you decide that its "safe" to buy fishes, Add one fish and wait 2 weeks before adding the other one. Give your system the time to adjust to the new bio load. Luna

 

I would add 5 blue legged crabs and 5 snails. Wait a week and add 5 more blue legs. I say this for a few reasons.

1. The bio-load on small crabs and snails is very small.
2. They are inexpensive so they are a great barometer of your water conditions without much financial burden and all the while they are cleaning your tank.
3. They will add a little interest for you. I love watching those little guys.
4. They will probably survive.

 

Thanks i appreciate your advise, i saw some red hermits at the lfs whats the diference? also they had some snails that sifted the sand and the guy there said that when he feed them mysis shrimp they would jet out of the sand and feast, i think they were carpet snails?

 

I like the Scarlet legged crabs. They cost a few pennies more but I would get one because I like looking at them. I have heard that they sometimes become a little aggressive and may kill a snail for for dinner.




The snails you mentioned may be Nassarius Vibex snails. I picked up a dozen from the local waters. They keep a snout above the sand line and when the food hits the tank they are ready to go. The eat detritus and fish food - NOT algae.

 

OK cool, ill post what i get

 

How long has the tank been cycling already? If its been 7-8 weeks id say do a 10-15% water change and get one fish....should be safe.

 

i picked up 5 nassarius snails extremely cool to watch them pop out of the sand when i feed the fish flakes, and 2 large mexican turbo snails they have coralline algea on their back, these were the only ones they had left i will get a few more within a week or two, i think they were in the LFS tank for a long time. Could i seed Coraline from the snails shell? also the guy at the LFS said that if i got hermits and i added coral they could eat the coral?

 

i say get some banded or red striped trochus snails if you can find them. I have never seen a snail that can move faster than the red striped trochus plus it eats all of the time and eats so many different types of algae. They make my astrea snails look like they are moving in slow motion.