What to do after tank done cycling?

[weekf]

After all the ammonia and nitrite spikes they are all zero now except nitrate at 20 does that mean my tank is done cycling? What do I need to do next before I start stocking? 50% waterchange?

I am using 2 canister filters as means for filtration. Do I need to give the filters a wash too? I am not using any skimmer as this is going to be a FOWLR tank, no corals. Even if I do need to clean the filters do I only wash the foams and sponges but not the ceramic rings which should have beneficial bacterias on them? I think the sponges/foams must be very dirty due to the fact that I started running them since day one after I added sand, rocks and stuffs which caused a dust storm that took 1 day to clear up.

After all these can I then add fish? In which order will you suggest me adding my livestock? Those are the ones on my list:

1 Regal Tang
1 Yellow Tang
8 Chromis
1 Ocellaris Clown
1 Naso Tang
5 Peppermint shrimps
2 Cleaner shrimps
30 Hermit crabs

My tank is a 132g 6 footer you can see this at my gallery. Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[melosu58]

After cycling yes a 40-50% PWC would be good. I dont have a canister filter so I dont know about them.

 

[roka64]

I rinse my filter out with each PWC. I rinse the canister in FW, just to clean the gunk, but I rinse the media in the old SW, so I don't kill the good bacteria.

 

[Jarred Darque]

Thats alot of Hermits...

 

[roka64]

Thats alot of Hermits...

Good point, Jarred, I missed that. How about some snails? There are some like Nassarius snails that are great sand stirrers. I also like cerith. I would shoot for 50 of each. The nassis will stay in the sand (great for moving it around and keeping it oxyegenated).

 

[Jarred Darque]

I was pondering why no snails, didnt know if maybe some of those fish he had planned are snail killers though. Should be a beautiful tank once its done man

 

[weekf]

Yeah will also add snails of course, just forgot to mention. So you guys reckon the cycle is done and go ahead to do the water change eventhough nitrate is not falling to zero? I thougt in order to get the tank fully cycled all these 3 parameters will need to come back to zero?

 

[melosu58]

Ammonia and nitrites will go to 0. Nitrates will be high at end of cycle. Thus the reason for large PWC. It sounds like from your first post that your cycle is over.

 

[angelscrx]

Ammonia and nitrites will go to 0. Nitrates will be high at end of cycle. Thus the reason for large PWC. It sounds like from your first post that your cycle is over.

Sounds like sound advice to me.

I'd add the tangs last but all of them at the same time. So in this order:

A) Snails
B) 2 Cleaner shrimps
C) 5 Peppermint shrimps
D) 30 Hermit crabs
E) 8 Chromis
F) 1 Ocellaris Clown
G) 1 Regal Tang, 1 Yellow Tang, and 1 Naso Tang

 

[weekf]

Thanks for the advice angelscrx. But do I need to take caution when adding the inverts (especially the hermits and snails) first as they don't do well with high nitrate I think? Does it all depend on how will the nitrate do after my 50% waterchange? Or add them in anyway after the big waterchange regardless of nitrate level?

 

[Guest]

I would try to get them down but 20 ppm is probably not high enough to kill the inverts. If it does not drop that much after the PWC I would make sure and do a long acclimation.

I am sure you know but make sure you space out your fish additions. Maybe 1 every couple of weeks to be safe. If you are not using a QT it can be risky adding all new fish from the LFS. Good Luck

 

[weekf]

Yeah will add the livestocks slowly for sure, just started up this new tank don't want any disaster...

 

[Jarred Darque]

ok yeah first thing is gonna be to add all teh liverock, you are gonna get a mini-cycle every time you ad liverock, unless it is fully cured