Clean up crew questions

[lynxpilot]

I have a 120 gal tank with about 150 lb. rock. I bought mostly base rock which was just Florida reef coral skeletons and two large (20 lb. total) live rocks from the LFS. After chemistry started settling out and all of the rock was dusted with brown from what I assume was diatoms, I ordered a clean up crew from Reeftopia. They've been in the tank for almost one week and the rocks are just about the same pristine white that I started with.

Did I get the cleanup crew too early?

Will they starve? Or better yet, until I'm absolutely certain that the bad parts of the cycle are done and before I get any fish, is there something I should be giving the crabs and snails to tide them over?

Thanks in advance.

 

[melosu58]

I think you got them too early. They can not survive high ammonia and nitrites. They needed to be put in there after your cycle and after you did about a 1/3 PWC. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[lynxpilot]

I'm actually not sure where I am in the cycle. Ammonia is testing at 0, nitrites at 0.1, and nitrates at about 7 (somewhere between the 5 and 10 colors). pH is just over 8.0 and calcium was about 400.

I've put frozen mysis shrimp cubes in to generate some nitrogen and help feed the crabs, but chemistry seems to want to just sit there. Nothing dramatic.

 

[melosu58]

What did you put in the tank to generate some ammonia?

 

[lynxpilot]

frozen mysis shrimp cubes

 

[Tank2379]

I would throw in a Piece of Raw Shrimp you get your Ammonia started....