Tank Cleaners

[Roger Clark]

Hi,

Well thanks to all the information,advice and help I have received from everyone concerning skimmers, curing live rock,type of lights needed and etc. My tank My tank is up running, cured on specification and ready to go. It took me three weeks of water changes, rock scrubbing and patience to get my tank in shape. My question is when should I add "tank cleaners" before I start adding fish (ever so slowly) or after wards. What would be the best type of cleaners and how many of each type should I add, also do I need to supplement food for them . I have listed my tank specs to maybe help determine what kind of cleaners I can handle.

Tank Specs.

75 gallon acrylic
Aqua C Remora Pro Skimmer
Rena Filstar XP-3 Filter
Tidal marine Substate approx 3''deep
Four Maxi-jet powerhead pumps @295 gph set to cycle four on during the daylight hours and only two during the night time hours.
UV Sterilizer (not hooked up Yet)
Two individual sets of light Double linear strips. One 65 watt True Actinic Blue and one 10,000 K daylight

 

[OCCFan023]

Adding the cleaners should come when your tank params (ammonia and nitrite) read 0 and you have trace amounts of nitrate meaning your tank is cycled.

As for types blue legged hermits, astrea snails, turbo snails, most small hermits and snails work great. Then you have some bigger species like emeral dcrabs that work well agaisnt hair algae but also love coraline.

If you add them your tank before you add fish (so you wont be feeding anything to fish for a while and no scraps will be left for hermits and snails) I would throw some flakes or pellets in. It isnt crucial but they would appreciate it. Just dont go over board and put to much in where they cant fisnish it and it ends up polluting the tank.

 

[Roger Clark]

Good advice

Thanks again for the information.

Roger

 

[dbacksrat]

I was just reading through your tank specs, and I noticed that you're only going to have 2 powerheads on at night. Reef tanks are always lacking in flow--you're going to want all 4 powerheads running at all times.

 

[Lorna]

especially at night when oxygen levels usually drop

 

[Roger Clark]

Good advice

I was just reading through your tank specs, and I noticed that you're only going to have 2 powerheads on at night. Reef tanks are always lacking in flow--you're going to want all 4 powerheads running at all times.

Thanks for the good advice I will run all four pumps all the time.

Roger

 

[Roger Clark]

Good advice

especially at night when oxygen levels usually drop

Lorna,

Thanks for the good advice. I will run all four powerhead all the time.

Thanks again

Roger