What should I do?

greenhorn reefer · Jul 25, 2016

Question. Would it be appropriate to also intro a green star polyp to the isolated bottom rock, at the same time I introduce my cleanup crew? My thought process is that, if I plan to fallow, I should be able to use my DT as a QT for coral and inverts until my clowns are ready? Feeding the coral should also provide organic matter for my bacteria and inverts and any required remedies should not interfere with one-another.

Tahoe61 · Jul 25, 2016

How long has your tank been up and running? Is the tank completely cycled?
You will be feeding the cuc, if you do not have any algae then the snails will starve, but you'll have to feed the hermits.

greenhorn reefer · Jul 25, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
How long has your tank been up and running? Is the tank completely cycled?
You will be feeding the cuc, if you do not have any algae then the snails will starve, but you'll have to feed the hermits.

No, my cycle is about two weeks from completion (estimate). I plan on doing a 30% water change (pending on nitrate level, could be more or less). Then I will intro my cleaning crew, I assume I should have algae by that time but realize there is no guaranties. I also plan on a very small cleaning crew in order to keep my inverts as pets, not expendable cleaners. About, 1 shrimp, 1 Chocolate star, 1 sand sifter star, 2 hermits, 2 snails. 1 crab. I will also feed all species if need be during my fallow.

TheMandarinGarden · Jul 25, 2016

I would not add the green star poppy at the same time as your inverts because inverts are hardier than corals. If your tank is not fully cycled, the water could be harmful to your coral. Corals can be quite picky... the star poppy could refuse to come out, get sick, or die. I would wait until the tank is fully cycled and safe for inhabitants to add in the green star polyp.
If you are after bacteria, adding some live rock would help a ton and would not be dangerous.

greenhorn reefer · Jul 25, 2016

TheMandarinGarden said:
I would not add the green star poppy at the same time as your inverts because inverts are hardier than corals. If your tank is not fully cycled, the water could be harmful to your coral. Corals can be quite picky... the star poppy could refuse to come out, get sick, or die. I would wait until the tank is fully cycled and safe for inhabitants to add in the green star polyp.
If you are after bacteria, adding some live rock would help a ton and would not be dangerous.

I am not adding inverts until the tank is 100% cycled so I do not see the difference in waiting for the GSP. I have live rock, living sand, and have been using additives to up my bacteria concentrations. I will not be adding inverts/ coral until I can spike the ammonia to 1.0 (using dr tim's pre-diluted ammonia) and have it drop to 0 in 6hrs. I am then planning on a water change. I also plan on running my first few tests for water parameters that pertain to coral. I have the test kits but figured it was a moot point mid cycle. Are you suggesting a week for a waiting period? The length of time between two intended additions would help clarify your response. Also, if you are strictly speaking from a dollar amount pov, then I would be much more concerned with my inverts than the $10 frag of GSP. I want to grow a nice bed of GSP from scratch so losing the coral would not be as frustrating as losing a cc.

greenhorn reefer · Jul 28, 2016

@TheMandarinGarden

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 28, 2016

Kinda seems like you've made up your mind and have a plan and I'm confused now as to why you asked if you don't believe the answers you got.
You added live sand live rock and are dosing bacteria so the tank is cycled and you'll likely never get an ammonia spike because of that.
He reason folks don't drop coral in a tank that new is because of the instability in the system early on as micro flora and fauna in addition to cyano populations and air borne yeasts establish themselves and die off and create equilibrium in the biosphere we created in the tank (ugly phase) as stated inverts are hardier and can withstand that change better than corals. The cuc also add to bacterial cycle by processing waste generated by die off ther by increasing the the strength of the bio filter by doing so. Thus the adage add livestock slowly. Cuc generally being the cheapest
The basic chemical tests relate to the cycle and track it's progress and water quality derived by it as a whole and not just to coral. But if your not worried about a ten dollar frag and how a new tank establishes it just drop it in now.

greenhorn reefer · Aug 4, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
Kinda seems like you've made up your mind and have a plan and I'm confused now as to why you asked if you don't believe the answers you got.
You added live sand live rock and are dosing bacteria so the tank is cycled and you'll likely never get an ammonia spike because of that.
He reason folks don't drop coral in a tank that new is because of the instability in the system early on as micro flora and fauna in addition to cyano populations and air borne yeasts establish themselves and die off and create equilibrium in the biosphere we created in the tank (ugly phase) as stated inverts are hardier and can withstand that change better than corals. The cuc also add to bacterial cycle by processing waste generated by die off ther by increasing the the strength of the bio filter by doing so. Thus the adage add livestock slowly. Cuc generally being the cheapest
The basic chemical tests relate to the cycle and track it's progress and water quality derived by it as a whole and not just to coral. But if your not worried about a ten dollar frag and how a new tank establishes it just drop it in now.

@saltyfilmfolks

My question was based upon the fact that the tank would be fully cycled. The response addressed the topic as if the tank was not fully cycled. I wanted to operate under the assumption that my water was balanced and cycle was complete. Your response also answered my question under the same scenario, an incomplete tank cycle. The question, as hypothetical as it may have been, was looking for information regarding the potential of any parasitic hitchhikers that may have been detrimental to the other tank mates. Sorry if I seemed apprehensive, even though I did ask for the advice but it just seemed that, although I provided the information that the cycle would be complete, I received several answers about needing to complete the cycle.

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 4, 2016

greenhorn reefer said:
@saltyfilmfolks

My question was based upon the fact that the tank would be fully cycled. The response addressed the topic as if the tank was not fully cycled. I wanted to operate under the assumption that my water was balanced and cycle was complete. Your response also answered my question under the same scenario, an incomplete tank cycle. The question, as hypothetical as it may have been, was looking for information regarding the potential of any parasitic hitchhikers that may have been detrimental to the other tank mates. Sorry if I seemed apprehensive, even though I did ask for the advice but it just seemed that, although I provided the information that the cycle would be complete, I received several answers about needing to complete the cycle.

That's cool. The original question was bit mis worded in a way. An experienced reefer looked at it as my than is newly cycled it's ready for coral. And that usually does not go well.
I tried in My answer To more fully address the other chemical process need in coral husbandry.
There is quite a bit of myth about the cycle and what it does and there is far more detailed chemistry in a tank for coral than the cycle. Yet many will still refer to it as the actual cycle. So a two week old tank with good numbers and no ammonia is cycling yes. But it's not fully cycled. It's a reefers slang.

Every tank is different in how it "cycles". Some mature faster. Some not or not at all. There's a billion unique reasons why.