When To Add A Cuc..

[heath]

Question for the day;
there is so many different options on when a cuc should be added to a new tank what are everyone's thoughts on why and when to add..
Remember, this is a new tank that has not been running long, less than a month..

 

[Nonuser]

Let me start with a disclaimer, I know nothing.

Okay, having said that, I've been told you add them first. The reasoning I got was that you should have waited long enough into your cycle to have an algae bloom and have your live rock establishing life. So if you add the clean up crew at this point they will look after the algae issue. If you add fish at this point you will only exacerbate the algae issue and can harm the fish. The last inhabitants are the inverts because of the sensitivity they have to water quality / chemistry.

 

[reef keeper]

I have only added 5 snails to my 350 gallon system after a month. I'll be adding them this week.

At least those blooming diatoms are going away

 

[MrHermit85]

I add them a few weeks to a month after cycle. I treat them as I would fish by making sure the tank is stable for any new inhabitants. (This is just my way and not necessarily the best way )

My current tank was started with all live rock though and there was a CUC already in place and they have all flourished and multiplied exceptionally so I guess you could say that most snails can handle water chemistry madness! (Not to mention the mini brittle stars, there must be close to 50 in my tank and they are far from little anymore...