Do CUC require lights during fallow?

[Lasse]

IMO - if you have establish your nitrification cycle prior to the fallow - ghost feeding is not needed - IME - the nitrifying bacteria goes dormant and if you is very careful with the amount you feed with when you introduce the fish - there will be no second problem with cycling. If the aquarium not is a total new aquarium just chemical cycled - you will have organic matter in it - bacteria will break this down and do the feeding for you. However - if you introduce a pistol and a cleaner shrimp in next week - you can feed them with small parts of algae wafers for fresh water catfishes once or twice a week. Your snails will eat them too. Hermits is good CUC too. Its nutrient that you put in when you ghost feed - nutrients when there is no corals will end up in algae - just feed your shrimps with food that they eat up rather fast.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

Thanks for the info. I’m not 100% against running lights just exploring my options. Sounds like a modified low intensity light schedule is best.

I would run the same lights that you plan to use, just reduce the photo period.

 

[Idoc]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I plan on starting the fallow period from the beginning once i introduce the shrimp which will be the last thing I put in. So no lights when shrimp are in there also huh?

Ambient room lighting is sufficient for fish, snails, and shrimp.

But as mentioned, the snails need algae to rest.... whether it comes from the lights or wafers/seaweed added.

 

[Idoc]

I was under the impression from many invert QT threads o. Here that the time does NOT start over if you introduce new inverts...

ok, i get what he wrote but what im saying is that there are multiple threads here on R2R that go agaisnt what hes saying and ive been told many times that the clock for each frag/invert in QT is 72 days, but adding new stuff doesnt restart that clock.

now i dont know who to believe cause everyone is contradicting each other

Ok, let me see if I can clarify this a little more easily...it can all be confusing!

If you are running a coral/invert only quarantine tank (never any fish), then you can add new inverts at any time and the 76 day clock doesn't restart for the entire tank inhabitants. But each addition must be kept in the QT for 76 days. The idea here is that the only risk are encysted parasites (ie, ich) that can't infect the inverts but we are waiting for the possible cysts on the inverts to open and release the virus into the water column. Once released into a fishless system, the parasite will eventually die without having a viable host (usually only days). So, the invert won't be infected with cysts after it has spent 76 days in quarantine...and parasites let into the water column can't infect an invert!

Now for a fallow DT, this idea is similar but different since fish will be eventually re-added to the system. We wait 76 days because the longest reported time for a cyst to release its parasites is 72 days... then without a host, the waterborne parasite dies after a few days... hence waiting 76 days fallow without fish. So, each addition of Invert into a Fallow system can take up to 72 days for that specific invert to possibly release parasites from cysts on its hard surfaces into the water column. So, the clock wouldn't start over for an Invert only system, but it does start over for a system that fish woukd be re-introduced into.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Idoc]

restarting the 72 day count would almost make adding new frags impossible.....

Yes... can't introduce new frags into a fallow tank, but you can introduce new frags into a coral/invert only quarantine tank!

 

[Idoc]

The snails need food - food for most snails is algae - algae needs light in order to grow - growing algae feed snails. Yes you need to have your light on - in order to produce algae for the snails. But you do not need 100 % intensity - if algae grow faster than the snails eat - turn time or/and intensity down on the lights. But basically - you need lights

Sincerely Lasse

As always, Lasse makes a wonderful point! The snails do need something to eat... you can also feed algae wafers or nori seaweed for the snales to eat.

 

[Idoc]

my understanding

The 76 days doesn't start over with ne invert additions in an invert only quarantine tank. But it does start over in a Fallow tank where fish are going to be added or re-introduced.

 

[ReefGeek90]

Ok, let me see if I can clarify this a little more easily...it can all be confusing!

If you are running a coral/invert only quarantine tank (never any fish), then you can add new inverts at any time and the 76 day clock doesn't restart for the entire tank inhabitants. But each addition must be kept in the QT for 76 days. The idea here is that the only risk are encysted parasites (ie, ich) that can't infect the inverts but we are waiting for the possible cysts on the inverts to open and release the virus into the water column. Once released into a fishless system, the parasite will eventually die without having a viable host (usually only days). So, the invert won't be infected with cysts after it has spent 76 days in quarantine...and parasites let into the water column can't infect an invert!

Now for a fallow DT, this idea is similar but different since fish will be eventually re-added to the system. We wait 76 days because the longest reported time for a cyst to release its parasites is 72 days... then without a host, the waterborne parasite dies after a few days... hence waiting 76 days fallow without fish. So, each addition of Invert into a Fallow system can take up to 72 days for that specific invert to possibly release parasites from cysts on its hard surfaces into the water column. So, the clock wouldn't start over for an Invert only system, but it does start over for a system that fish woukd be re-introduced into.

Hope this helps!!

That did clear the air. Thanks again!

 

[GlassMunky]

Yes... can't introduce new frags into a fallow tank, but you can introduce new frags into a coral/invert only quarantine tank!

I guess I was getting confused my the language.

To me fallow means anything without fish so my coral QT is always “fallow” hence why I was confused.
Thanks for the clarification

 

[ReefGeek90]

Would y’all turn off the protein skimmer during this period?

 

[phatduckk]

The 76 days doesn't start over with ne invert additions in an invert only quarantine tank. But it does start over in a Fallow tank where fish are going to be added or re-introduced.

+1 good clarification!

 

[Idoc]

Would y’all turn off the protein skimmer during this period?

I'd keep it running as normal. Besides helping with nutrient export, it also helps to aerate the water. I can't really think of a reason not to run it

 

[ReefGeek90]

I'd keep it running as normal. Besides helping with nutrient export, it also helps to aerate the water. I can't really think of a reason not to run it

Okay will do