Cycled?

[Ori]

My tank has been set up a week and a half and I’m getting nitrates with no ammonia/nitrite. It has live rock and live sand. Am I ok to start adding fish/invertebrates now?

I would like to have a cleaner shrimp. Is it ok to add one now or do they need a more established system?

Thanks

 

[Ranjib]

Try ghost feeding it with a pinch of fish food and see if you get ammonia spike.. if not you should be ok,
I think its just safer to wait for another week or two, do a large water change and then introduce fish

 

[Cherry Bomb]

I personally just added a cleaner shrimp at almost the 2 month mark. I’ve been testing my water to make sure calcium and mag were steady. I started adding a cleaning crew at about the 3 week/month mark when my diatoms bloomed and then on to beginner corals

 

[Cherry Bomb]

My cleaning crew was red hermit crabs and Trochus snails

 

[NoWaiAma]

I personally just added a cleaner shrimp at almost the 2 month mark. I’ve been testing my water to make sure calcium and mag were steady. I started adding a cleaning crew at about the 3 week/month mark when my diatoms bloomed and then on to beginner corals

I am itching so bad to add a cleaner shrimp. But have to wait.
Experienced a small spike when added 2 fish + pistol and small cuc. So, am respectful of water parameters much more so now. Can’t wait !

 

[Cherry Bomb]

I am itching so bad to add a cleaner shrimp. But have to wait.
Experienced a small spike when added 2 fish + pistol and small cuc. So, am respectful of water parameters much more so now. Can’t wait !

Waiting is hard but worth it!

 

[NoWaiAma]

Waiting is hard but worth it!

I’m actually enjoying the wait now. Forces me to research deeper and deeper.

And I don’t want to hurt my new buddies!!!!

Hard part about waiting = pricing larger tank setups...

 

[Cherry Bomb]

I’m actually enjoying the wait now. Forces me to research deeper and deeper.

And I don’t want to hurt my new buddies!!!!

Hard part about waiting = pricing larger tank setups...

Omgosh yes. I have also been pricing larger setups

 

[NoWaiAma]

Omgosh yes. I have also been pricing larger setups

I wish I would of found this hobby earlier in life. Aside from being expensive (I trigger pull on best I can find 99.9% of the time) it is so dang relaxing and therapeutic.

I look forward to getting home and doing a water change? what the heck