Fish to CUC tank addition ratio?

[Tim617]

So, my new reef tank is being built now, and i will cycle with Dr Tims. Then I plan to add one fish a week for 8 weeks, then 2 fish a week for 3 weeks, and then 4 fish in one week, with total of 18 fish, each with max size no more than 3 inches, over 12 weeks. It's a 75g DT, which is more like 60g with displacement at steady state after I add corals and they grow. Corals will come from week 17, as there will be no lights on for the first 16 weeks.

Given this plan, and given that the food intake will accordingly grow slowly, what's the right CUC addition schedule? I don't want to add a pack and then have them die from lack of detritus.

 

[shakacuz]

reefcleaners.org sell packs according to tank size. start a size or two, even three smaller then adjust or raise accordingly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

While there’s no standard ratio, add CUC as needed and stock fish slowly
There are cleaner specific snails, as example:For Algae- turbo, astrea, cerith
For cyano- trochus, margarita, cerith and astrea

 

[Joe31415]

I found it was much easier to not attempt to structure your CUC additions*. When my tank was ready, I grabbed a few snails and crabs from an LFS, then just kept adding to it. That gives you more than enough time to back off before you have so many they start starving. Plus, it gives you a reason to go your LFS a few times a week and not feel awkward wandering around for 20 minutes and leaving empty handed. This way you can at least grab some inverts. It also means you have plenty of space/capacity to add an urchin or fighting conch or something else fun when you see it.

*One of the BRS videos mentioned that if you're buying CUC from a place that sells 'refill' packs, it's likely because they're selling you so many more than you actually need, that they're regularly starving and dying. That makes people think they need to replace the dead ones instead of thinking that they had too many. Right or wrong, I don't know, but it stuck with me when I heard it (Even though I just buy a few at a time anyway).

 

[Tim617]

Thanks guys. I know what I want to add, it's just that I don't want a CUC member to die and pollute the water. I like the suggestion of gettting a cleaner pack three times smaller and then building up from that. the one CUC I will add from day one are pods. Not sure I will add hermits, those ***'ers can get aggressive and steal food from corals. Will likely just add snails, dwarf crabs, shrimps, urchin(s), and likely a conch and a sand sifting goby, not from day one though. Trouble is to keep the last two fed when the sand bed is clean. Same reason why I won't have a sea star. that's why I plan to go very slow in adding them.