Well first of all I am a saltwater beginner, and this is my first time doing corals, and I have done research on the type of corals I am going to get, I am planning on getting pulsing xenias and duncan corals to start. And maybe another type of softy or LPS. I have researched both well enough to know that they are relatively easy corals other than the fact the xenias grow pretty fast and you need to feed duncans a couple times a week. I have cycled the tank with aquacultured live rock, I have extra supplements coming on their way (Calcium supplement and test, magnesium supplement and test, and alkalinity supplement and test). I started the tank initially with premixed water at the pet store, but I am doing water changes at home w/ RO/DI water to stamp out the remaining ammonia. With the hermit crabs I did plan to put plenty of shells in the tank for them. I did have a bunch of starsfish come in on the liverock as well as two crabs(not hermies). I probably should have added that before, but I am guessing that if they were able to survive the initial cycling and die off, the corals may be good to go?How experienced are you working with corals? and have you done research/know which type of coral you plan to start with? Perhaps these are silly questions, but have you added/cycled with live rock? Dosed any micronutrients for the corals? Using RO/DI water?
Typically, inverts and corals are very sensitive, and are NOT the first organism you want to add to the aquarium. Even though it's cycled now, you'll still want to give it time to establish and mature. I personally would start with the clowns first, then add the inverts, then the coral.
It might even be safer, compatibility wise, to add the inverts first, then the clowns, then the coral. (so the inverts are comfortable when the clowns go in, so the clowns don't pick at the inverts as they're settling - usually this won't happen, but clowns can have curious personalities) Considering the tank is cycling you might be okay to do that. But I wouldn't do them all at once just to be on the safe side.
I don't have any saltwater tanks, I just work with/around them, so I don't have a great grasp on the corners you can cut when starting a reef tank. Per the size of your tank and the type/number of organisms you're looking to stock I don't really think it will be too many all at once from a bio-load stand point (with the freshwater threshold knowledge that I have) BUT I also know that saltwater are substantially more finicky than freshwater, so it's a little harder to push the limits, esp. with reefs and the losses are usually more expensive as well (both monetarily and biologically)...I would air on the side of caution.
If you have experience with corals and you think it'd probably be okay, than I'd go with your gut. But if it were my fresh reef tank, I would start with my clowns or my inverts and go from there.
Last thing about adding snails AND hermit crabs. You CAN add both together. But if you do, you may find that your hermit crabs may get to a large enough size where they start to attack your snails for their shells. I'm not sure if this will still happen if you offer plenty of extra shells for the crabs or not, but that's a possibility.
Is that just because they are getting settled in and won´t eat much?Assuming you have done your homework and your setup is good cycle complete you can add those all at once. Just watch how you feed them. Feed minimally for a few days.
Your ammonia production will be lower if you feed less. Minimizing feeding for a few days wont hurt your fish but will help the tank adjust.Is that just because they are getting settled in and won´t eat much?
I haven´t heard of this before thank youYour ammonia production will be lower if you feed less. Minimizing feeding for a few days wont hurt your fish but will help the tank adjust.
Sure think about it. Less food,,,less poop,,,,less poop,,,less ammoniaI haven´t heard of this before thank you
Sure think about it. Less food,,,less poop,,,,less poop,,,less ammonia
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Oh yeah I'm not debating the ideology behind I think it makes sense I just hadn't read about it before.
