Cycle is complete, now what?

[DarkHorseMBA]

Ok looks like my initial cycle is complete, ammonia peaked at at 1.0, nitrates peaked at 20' and nitrites peaked at 5. Two days ago ammonia was at 0, while nitrates and nitriates remained 20 & 5.

Today though everything is 0. (ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates). So far I've have no algae, diatoms or anything of the sort. So am I done?

If so what's next?

I don't want to add fish yet as we'll be out of town for Thanksgiving, and I don't the house/FW fish/dog sitter have to contend with a new SW tank as well. Some have mentioned adding a CUC, I'm not sure what they would clean, there's nothing there not visible any way. The tank is 75g, with 80lbs dry rock a refugium. Nothing in the refugium, only 4-5" DSB, skimmer waiting in the wings.

Any ideas?
Cheato, mangroves, Fish, CUC?

DarkHorseMBA

[allan]

Your nitrates shouldn't be 0 unless you've done a significant water change. Nothing in your tank, now empty, to consume the trates.

Wait till you get back home then see what ur parameters are and then think about what you want to add.

Think small. One fish or a little cuc. Maybe a hardy coral?

[DarkHorseMBA]

Humm... Maybe I did not test it correctly? Might take a water sample over to a LFS. See if I'm way off.

[allan]

Dude, my colors never match up. And if I don't like the match that I get I always find some one who sees something more favorable.

If you're gonna go out of town I wouldn't worry it until u get back. But a hardy coral will give you a good idea of your tank by the time you get back. Just don't put any tx trash in there. Those palies can live in the toilet bowl and flourish.

[DarkHorseMBA]

Lights are not ready yet, I need to replace a bulb. I was thinking a few hermits until after the holiday.

What's a palies?

[allan]

Texas trash pallythoas



Bright green (under blue actinic) pallythoas.



Another kind, not sire what they're called.



Another bright green pally.

At any rate you don't want the first pictured pallies.

[Reefer4ever]

No mangroves! Those are trees. I wouldn't want to have that deep of a sand bed either. I would go 1-2 inches deep. If you plan to use a DSB in the sump, you should put the cheatomorpha(or other macroalgae) in another compartment. I don't have first hand experience, but I've heard that when you cover a DSB with algae, you build up tons of detritus. You should put some kind of small pump in the DSB chamber to create a circle motion going above the SB, hit the glass and go into the SB, go through the SB, then come out on the side of the pump; repeat. I hear this keeps circulation through the SB and because there is nothing on top of the SB, you end up with no detritus build-up.

As for stocking, hold off on fish and most coral until Thanksgiving passes. I would say add a few hardy red mushroom corals and see if they are growing, thriving, and reproducing. I'm sure there are things for a CUC to eat. I would add a small CUC like a few hermit crabs, a few cerith snails, a few nassarius snails, and a few nerite snails.
Just remember, no SPS, amemones, or giant clams until your tank is about half a year old.

Good luck and happy reefing!

[Reefer4ever]

Allen, why do you say not to have the first pictured palys? I have them. Are they just not pleasing to the eye; grow too fast; what?

[CoryDude]

No Texas Trash Palys. They are impossible to get rid of.

Why can't you add cheato to a dsb section on a refugium? It's not going to cover the sand, but float above it. DSB are going to have some detritus buildup anyways. Agree with the circulation advice.

This is the part where you need to have carefull planning. Don't rush and don't add anything your not too sure about. Do your research and get a coral and fish list together this month. Then add a fish or two at a time when you get back.

A clean up crew is a must, so just add those while your gone. You (and the house sitter) can always drop a little bit of food into the tank to make sure they and the bacteria have something to eat.

[Reefer4ever]

Like I said, I don't have first hand experience with a sump, as I've never had one, yet. Just trying to give what knowledge I've accumulated from reef forums.
I really don't care about the "Texas Trash Palys". If they grow, they grow. Rip some out when there are too many, let them grow back, and then rip some more out. I don't see why these palys are such a fuss.