Next Step??

[cody2cannon]

Ok so I've just added 2 clowns to my 20 gallon nuvo tank, and I'm wondering what my next step should be? I'm very patient so I figured I'd wait about a month or a little longer before adding the shrimp and goby pair. But as far as clean up crews and corals how long should I wait before adding either? And what can I do to prepare for them?

 

[Mel 2038]

How old is your tank? How did you cycle it?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yea you should add the cuc first actually, many old timers would wait till they see a bit of algae grow, (week3) add cuc then fish. Unless your using the fish to cycle.
Fish cant scream. Snails are cheap.
But as I recall you used live rock and live sand so its not so bad. thats correct?
you should def make sure salinity is good and add bacteria and conditioners. an ammonia badge isn't a bad Idea. or just test very frequently and be ready do water changes.

If fish are stressed it effects the immune system. you had a fish die already? the concern is it had a parasite and will be passed to this new fish. or these fish may have a parasite and the poorly conditioned water may stress them making them less resistant to the parasite.

its cool. Were happy to help keep the fish healthy.

 

[cody2cannon]

How old is your tank? How did you cycle it?

2 weeks and I cycled with bio spira, all my tests came back good so I added 2 clowns today, they are doing well! I am monitoring ammonia, nitrites and nitrates daily for now.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

2 weeks and I cycled with bio spira, all my tests came back good so I added 2 clowns today, they are doing well! I am monitoring ammonia, nitrites and nitrates daily for now.

good deal.

 

[cody2cannon]

good deal.

So CUC as you know my tank is 2 weeks old, and I have 2 clowns. It's a 20 gallon tank, what would you go with for a good CUC??

 

[Mel 2038]

2 weeks and I cycled with bio spira, all my tests came back good so I added 2 clowns today, they are doing well! I am monitoring ammonia, nitrites and nitrates daily for now.

Sounds like a good start. Be patient, and enjoy the clowns for awhile. Are you in need of a clean up crew yet?

 

[cody2cannon]

Sounds like a good start. Be patient, and enjoy the clowns for awhile. Are you in need of a clean up crew yet?

I don't believe so, I'm very patient and am loving the personality they have brought to my apartment! I just want to be ready for my CUC when I do need them just gathering info for now

 

[Mel 2038]

I don't believe so, I'm very patient and am loving the personality they have brought to my apartment! I just want to be ready for my CUC when I do need them just gathering info for now

They do have personality, especially when its just you and them in the room, and you look over, and they're cruising around, as if to say "look at me". Cool Stuff!

 

[cody2cannon]

They do have personality, especially when its just you and them in the room, and you look over, and they're cruising around, as if to say "look at me". Cool Stuff!

Mine are racing around the top and occasionally stop and hover around the power head

 

[cody2cannon]

So what do you guys recommend? Weekly 10% water change or 20% every 2 weeks?

 

[Supurderek]

You don't have corals yet; so just doing a bi-weekly is more than sufficient. You should think to get different types of snails once you see some algae growing. Many different kinds: nerites, turbo, trochus, ceriths, etc. Reefcleaners.org gives a good description of many clean-up and even sells them in packages! Hermits crabs can be used too but not needed. Just make sure, if you go get any type of crab/hermit, that they are reef-safe and won't get large and kill inhabitants! (Hermits may kill larger snails for shells but that is the sacrifice of having them.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

One of the things a cuc does is eat extra food. a diverse cuc cleans algaes etc but also eats foods to further break it down in smaller bits to allow the bacteria to even further break it down to be removed. you choose cuc choices on the algaes etc growing in the tank(that you cant see yet) and the foods you feed. Ie, meaty foods need a carnivore cuc, algaes an herbivore. Omnivores are always appreciated.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/
Renee and I both prefer more snails than crabs. an under fed crab will eat snails and worst case corals and fish.