Cleaner Crew

[jeanne]

Hi, again. I am wanting to know how long after setup/cycling do you introduce the "cleaner" crew?

 

[Bunnee911]

When the ammonia and nitrite are at zero and after a nice water change.

 

[pondman]

Plus have something for the cleanup crew to clean up

 

[PatW]

I would wait until there is enough algae to support the herbivores. For the scavengers, you need to be feeding fish and the CUC will get the scraps.

 

[Justiful]

After the tank is cycled you can start SLOWLY adding your clean up crew. It will likely take 6 months before you hit it's full size.

Figure out the size CUC you need by posting your tank and information, or checking one of several guides on forums. Then gradually build up to it. Websites that sale complete CUC packages are a bad idea except for established tanks. Those packages are far too large for most tanks, and added all at once will cause deaths.

Your first members IMO should be 3 margarita snails with coralline algae growth on their shells. They will carry coraline all over your tank.