20G Nano Update

[JWright]

Cycle is nearing completion. Ammonia and nitrite are 0. I uh.... misplaced... my nitrate test solution.

I am seeing some algae growth, including green hair algae and caulerpa. Is this a sign of high nitrate levels?

Coraline growth is good. During the cycle, most of the existing coraline bleached out, but now about 25% (surface area) is back, and brighter than ever, and coraline growth is starting on areas where there was no visible coraline previously.

No hitchhikers of any note spotted. This is likely due to the extreme ammonia levels during the cycle.

All the large-scale die off seems to be done (no more bits falling off...), so I'll probably add substrate this weekend (And pickup another nitrate test kit...). If everything looks good the next weekend, I'll likely add a cleanup crew.

Opinions seem to vary widely on a cleanp crew. Any reccomendations for something to keep the hair algae in check?

~JW

 

[OCCFan023]

the algae growth is normal. For the hair algae I would reccomend a emerald mythrax crab (mine devoured my hair algae in 2 days)

As for cleaners are you buying locally or online? A mix of some astrea snails, reef hermits, and such would be fine. Theres a great online place if you do decide to order online.

Cycle sounds like its very close to be done.. fish are in the future

 

[JWright]

I'll be picking up my cleanup crew locally, provided my LFS has any decent stuff in (*shoots a glance at Mushroom*).

I've heard an emerald mythrax is probably too large and aggressive for a 20g.

 

[Mushroomman]

Meh, I can hook you up with a good deal for cleanup... Ill be there tonight, hopefully I can get a _schedule_ (unheard of vocab to the owner)... Ill let you know.

The basics, like some hermits and a variety of snails like astrea, turbo, nassarius, etc will do you fine, and as OCC said algae is common in new tanks, a good crew will help tho.

 

[OCCFan023]

I had a emerald mrythrax in my 20 l and had no problems.

 

[aresgod]

Emerald should be fine in a 20, just get a smaller one, they really are not all that viscious