On or off?

[Steve1500]

My tank is cycled but I won’t have any type of livestock in it for another month or so. Only live “stuff” is on the LR and sand. Do I need to run my power heads and lights even though there’s nothing in the tank? Once I get fish in the tank, should I run the power heads and lights if there’s no coral?

Thanks!
Steve

 

[Heliarc19]

Power heads yes for sure leave on, lights I personally would leave on but only for a few hours a day

 

[mtraylor]

Ditto above.

 

[Jeepguy242]

run it like you stole it....

let the coraline grow.....

lets see some pics of your scape!

 

[Jeepguy242]

also i forgot to add.. throw in a little.... and i mean VERY LITTLE food to keep feeding your beneficial bacteria

and check your parameters too

stagnant water won't be any good once you start to add livestock

 

[JohnnyReef]

+1 on the above also. You may see some algae growth once the lights are on that need to run its course

 

[Jeepguy242]

add some CUC... snails and hermits.... get them started that will get things along nicely

 

[Jeepguy242]

i forgot to ask, why will it be a month or 2 before you add any livestock?

rome wasn't built in a day, start with just a few crabs and snails...

 

[Steve1500]

It will be about a month before I add fish because my QT is just now finishing its cycle. I am hesitant to add fish directly to my DT even though there is nothing in there. Is it ok to add CUC directly into the DT without QTing them? I would imagine they can carry diseases to right?

Will continue to run the power heads and run the lights for a few hours a day.

 

[Steve1500]

Wait a minute, if I QT’d my CUC, how would I know if they were sick or carrying a disease? Makes me second question myself about QTing snails and crabs!

 

[Jeepguy242]

i rarely QT anything myself... its a bad habit....

fish i have been lucky with... snails and crabs go into the DT