A few quick questions while I actually still remember them. I just set up a 28 gal tank with 20 lbs of LS and 20lbs of LR. It's been up with filter for about 2 weeks now. I read some where that to help cycle you can toss an uncooked shrimp in the tank to help get amonia in it, does this work well? I was also wondering the order getting creatures for it, I have heard to get the clean up crew first and I have also heard to get fish first to help get the amonia/bacteria going in the tank. Finaly my original thought was to get probably 2 shrimp and that'd be the end of it, are the little hermit crabs realy helpful with the clean up?
Started a 28 gal tank
- Thread starter tireur
- Start date
Your 20lbs of live rock should have given you the bacteria needed to colonize your tank without adding a cocktail shrimp. You might add a pound or two of livesand. Keeping it in a mound in the center of the tank.
I would wait and add the clean up crew after you begin to see algae form on your class. My suggestion would be to add less than what is recommended at first and then later add to it.
Acclimate slowly.
Reef safe hermits are beneficial as they can reach into the nooks of the rock to find food etc. Blue legged hermits are popular.
Popular snails are astrea, nerite, and cerith. I tend to steer away from turbo's if possible as they are larger and more clumsy.
I would not add shrimp to your new system as they are more fragile. Wait several months.
After several weeks with the success with the clean up crew I'd add a fish.
Don't add a sea cucumber until your tank is more established as the sand bed would not be able to support it for long. A new sandbed is to clean for the cucumber in my opinion.
These are just my thoughts and opinions. The main thing to remember is to be patient and don't purchase on impulse. Take your time.
I would wait and add the clean up crew after you begin to see algae form on your class. My suggestion would be to add less than what is recommended at first and then later add to it.
Acclimate slowly.
Reef safe hermits are beneficial as they can reach into the nooks of the rock to find food etc. Blue legged hermits are popular.
Popular snails are astrea, nerite, and cerith. I tend to steer away from turbo's if possible as they are larger and more clumsy.
I would not add shrimp to your new system as they are more fragile. Wait several months.
After several weeks with the success with the clean up crew I'd add a fish.
Don't add a sea cucumber until your tank is more established as the sand bed would not be able to support it for long. A new sandbed is to clean for the cucumber in my opinion.
These are just my thoughts and opinions. The main thing to remember is to be patient and don't purchase on impulse. Take your time.
reefworm
New member
good advice from macronut about taking your time. unlike FW, there are way more variables. a 28 gallon system is pretty unforgiving of errors [I have a 29], so move slowly after lots and lots of good research and questions here. don't assume anything. patience counts for a lot in this hobby
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