when is too soon?

[New2Salt]

We have a 29 gallon that is in its cycling stage, as of yesterday the diatoms started showing on the live sand, the live fuji rock has a lot of growth lots of hair like things on it some green growth and lots of purple but also a lot of the rock is the same color as the diatoms. Our question is when can the snails be introduced? Do we wait until everything is cycled?We don't want to kill anything. I've done some research and have decided to do either Astrea or Trochus Snails, but I'm not a big snail lover and will probably only get two of each. The Ammonia is at 0.5 and the nitrate is starting to climb. Also since the tank is in the cycling stage would it be wise to add more live rock AFTER the cycle is done, obviously cured rock. I know that this is probably a DUH question but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance!

 

[michealprater]

I would wait till your ammonia is at 0 before adding snails.

 

[reefrunner69]

I would wait until the ammonia and the nitrite are o and after the first water change to add snails. Make sure you acclimate them very slowly, some snails are very sensitive to changes in salinity.

 

[loganj]

snails

You would be suprised how much snails will contribute to keeping your tank cleaned up. Unless you just don't like to look at them, I wouldn't hesitate to add a bunch of them...I have 9 in a 10 gal and they are busy all the time. JMHO
Logan J

 

[fishfreek]

If your live rock is uncured by all means add it now. If your rock is cured from the LFS I might wait till the ammonia and nitrite are a little lower.

A fair amount of cured live rock will put your cycle into overdrive but you want to make sure the ammonia and nitrite levels are not to high when its added as to not kill anything benifical on it.

 

[New2Salt]

Thank you

Thank you for all the info!

We will wait, that's what we thought and about the snails, we just don't want a population explosion, we've been through that before with the fresh water. Do saltwater snails populate as much as the fresh?

As far as the cured rock we'll wait until the levels are lower and then add cured rock to speed things up.

Thanks again!