When can I add livestock?

[MichaelS]

Hi all,
I currently have a 28 gal JBJ, it has been set up for a little over a year, I used dry sand and live rock. I remember letting it cycle for about 8 weeks before I added any fish or corals.
I just setup a 20 gal tank with a fluval hang on back filter, I used CaribSea live sand and about 20 pounds of dry rock, I mixed my own saltwater wit the Red Sea blue bucket, I also added Instant Ocean Bio-Spira and I have 6 snails and 5 hermits in there now. It's going to be strictly nems, mostly Rock Flowers and probably just two clowns. The questions is: How long should I wait before adding any fish or nems? I've been told 12 weeks and I've been told 2 weeks. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated

 

[tdileo]

Once the tank is cycled you can add fish. If you can get some established rock from a fellow reefer, even a tiny piece, it’d help a lot. You can be done in as little as a week using that method and just adding in a tiny bit of food each day to give some ammonia. Once you tests your water and get 0 ammonia and nitrite and a little nitrate, you’re good to go. Add 1 fish to start, then one or two at a time after that. I’d give the tank 2 or 3 months to mostly settle before adding any nems especially since you’ve been out of it for a while.