What critters to add for CUC and timeline

[Genesis 1:10]

I love my Tuxedo Urchin. He is like a Roomba for your tank. He leaves a clean trail everywhere he goes. Neat addition to the tank also. Kind of comical how he picks up stuff to camouflage himself.

 

[LuizW13]

I'm not sure I'd spend money on spaghetti or bristle worms. There's a good chance that they'll hitchhike in on something eventually. They've shown up in all my tanks without purposely stocking them.

Same here..I actually don't even want them just because they're so freaky. But, got them anyway through frags..I even dip every single frag too.

 

[ChuzUThisDay]

Bio diversity. Really little stuff eats even smaller stuff. IMO the rampant sterility craze causes a lot of problembs. Good Micro faunal populations take care of stuff you don't even know you had.

...And buy a few more than you think you need. And keep the selection diverse as well. Again, cleaning stuff you didn't even know you had.

I think this is what led to some of my problem. @saltyfilmfolks I'd like to talk to you some more about this some time.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think this is what led to some of my problem. @saltyfilmfolks I'd like to talk to you some more about this some time.

As I've been researching , observing , and going back to the things I first learned in Reefing from the experts (no, not one forum), it seems there is a huge amount of validity to the idea.

Start a thread

 

[Mombo]

Do Bristle Worms and Brittle Stars both get along? Someone local has some Mini Brittle stars I am thinking id like to add to my tank with Bristle Worms

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Do Bristle Worms and Brittle Stars both get along? Someone local has some Mini Brittle stars I am thinking id like to add to my tank with Bristle Worms

Ime , yes.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

I agree with the advice Salty and Ca1ore were giving before.

I'm not sure I'd spend money on spaghetti or bristle worms. There's a good chance that they'll hitchhike in on something eventually. They've shown up in all my tanks without purposely stocking them.

+1 on this
And Genesis is also correct about the Tuxedo urchin. An urchin is especially good when you have massive amounts of GHA or similar issues. The problem with urchins in general is that they will mow rock (or anything else) they crawl over, bone clean. Eventually, they'll eat themselves out of food in a smaller tank and they could potentially cause problems because they can be bulldozers for coral. Not something to put in a new setup IMHO.

If you want to start off your system properly right from the start, I'd suggest at least a little sand (preferably crushed coral, aragonite or at least a very coarse sand) in your fuge if you have chaeto there. Even a shallow substrate layer with chaeto is way better than only chaeto alone.
Aside from that, before I added any fish, coral or CUC to my system, I'd start macro algae in the tank. For example caulerpa and/or gracillaria and/or ulva. Once these MA start growing add pods to your system, to both the Chaeto in the sump and to the DT where the caulerpa and/or etc,... is growing.
Some MA examples: http://www.aquariumcreationsonline.net/vip.html
Wait about 10 days for the pods to establish themselves and I'd say you're good to go with slowly adding inhabitants. During that time, you'll have to light the tank normally to grow the MA. So feed the tank also, even before you add the pods (feed very lightly the first few days). During the initial period, you can feed something cheap like goldfish flakes or whatever, so that when the pods are added, there is something in the tank for them.
If you straight up add a CUC to a new tank, there's no fauna in your tank so they will probably just starve and die. Not good for a new system. I feel that's doing things the hard way and has a potential to attract problems in the future.
If you don't want MA in your system long term, you could split it from the DT and put some in the fuge (or not?) or just gradually trim the MA in the DT, over a period of a few weeks to where it's really small or remove it completely (I mean remove it after you've got it down to almost nothing).

I find that starting off with growing MA, will create a buffer period that will speed up the usual waiting period where reefers are "just waiting" while the tank "cycles". Rather than just waiting and doing nothing, it's a more proactive approach before adding inhabitants.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I agree with the advice Salty and Ca1ore were giving before.

+1 on this
And Genesis is also correct about the Tuxedo urchin. An urchin is especially good when you have massive amounts of GHA or similar issues. The problem with urchins in general is that they will mow rock (or anything else) they crawl over, bone clean. Eventually, they'll eat themselves out of food in a smaller tank and they could potentially cause problems because they can be bulldozers for coral. Not something to put in a new setup IMHO.

If you want to start off your system properly right from the start, I'd suggest at least a little sand (preferably crushed coral, aragonite or at least a very coarse sand) in your fuge if you have chaeto there. Even a shallow substrate layer with chaeto is way better than only chaeto alone.
Aside from that, before I added any fish, coral or CUC to my system, I'd start macro algae in the tank. For example caulerpa and/or gracillaria and/or ulva. Once these MA start growing add pods to your system, to both the Chaeto in the sump and to the DT where the caulerpa and/or etc,... is growing.
Some MA examples: http://www.aquariumcreationsonline.net/vip.html
Wait about 10 days for the pods to establish themselves and I'd say you're good to go with slowly adding inhabitants. During that time, you'll have to light the tank normally to grow the MA. So feed the tank also, even before you add the pods (feed very lightly the first few days). During the initial period, you can feed something cheap like goldfish flakes or whatever, so that when the pods are added, there is something in the tank for them.
If you straight up add a CUC to a new tank, there's no fauna in your tank so they will probably just starve and die. Not good for a new system. I feel that's doing things the hard way and has a potential to attract problems in the future.
If you don't want MA in your system long term, you could split it from the DT and put some in the fuge (or not?) or just gradually trim the MA in the DT, over a period of a few weeks to where it's really small or remove it completely (I mean remove it after you've got it down to almost nothing).

I find that starting off with growing MA, will create a buffer period that will speed up the usual waiting period where reefers are "just waiting" while the tank "cycles". Rather than just waiting and doing nothing, it's a more proactive approach before adding inhabitants.

+1 000000
That's old school there.

So many folks know have forgotten or don't know the benefits of algaes and plants beyond chato and nutrient reduction.
Kind of a lost art almost.

Thanks for the link. I may have to get some old macro books too.

 

[Mombo]

Interesting. This new tank will be my first time having a sump as well as using a fuge. Can’t really count the back of a biocube as either of those haha.

This whole time I’ve been planning on keeping the bottom of my sump bare. But I do like the idea of crushed coral so worms and stars have something to live in down there. I’ve always read that having substrate make maintenance difficult and can be a detritus trap.

With the worms down there I guess they’d take care of the detritus though. I’m planning on removing my filter socks about 98% of the time. Thinking that when I’m cleaning the tank or something I might throw them on to quickly filter the water.

 

[Mombo]

I’m still currently only planning to do chaeto but I’ll need to read more about the others.

Can chaeto survive in a tank with ammonia present or do I need to wait for it to finish cycling before I add it? I know I can’t add pods, or CUC until it’s cycled.

 

[Mombo]

Any members of a CUC that can go in the fuge of the sump that dont require substrate? Do brittle stars need substrate? Do Hermits function well in a fuge? Dont really want any in the DT...

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Can chaeto survive in a tank with ammonia present

Absolutely. Adding it right at setup or anytime during the cycling process should significantly reduce the length of time the system needs for it to be cycled. (Keep in mind that the amount of beneficial bacteria in any system equalizes itself with bio load. So once a system is "cycled" add other inhabitants gradually, to also allow the beneficial bacteria time to increase in number correspondingly.)

I know I can’t add pods, or CUC until it’s cycled.

Correct. I'd add pods as soon as I start to see growth on the chaeto. Wait for some detritus buildup for other CUC. If you add pods early. Feed your tank (carefully).

Any members of a CUC that can go in the fuge of the sump that dont require substrate?

I'd say they potentially could in a mature system. Exception might be Pods. Pods need MA - chaeto in your case. (the assumption here is that they have a good chance of survival and are able to reproduce)

Do brittle stars need substrate?

I've seen mature tanks that are bb w/ LR, that can sustain brittle stars. Keep in mind that, in nature, brittle stars live under rocks in sand.

Do Hermits function well in a fuge?

Yes.

Dont really want any in the DT...

Perhaps? Maybe only very small ones?