# Almost done cycling, next steps



## dhubhain (Jan 15, 2012)

FOWLR tank only for now. May become a reef tank after a year or so.

My live rock/sand is done cycling. I'm getting an occasional spike of NO3 that jumps from 5-7 up to 10 or 15ppm but my ammonia is stable @ 0.5ppm (with an occasional drop down to 0.25ppm) and NO2 dropping consistently (now between 1 and 2 ppm). So I'm placing my order with my LFS for a CUC which should be here Friday.

30 gallon tank, Here's what I was thinking:

Weeks 1 & 2:
5 tochus snails & 5 red-legged hermits (and a few extra shells so the hermits don't go after the snails). Supplement with dry fish food that came with the tank every 3-4 days depending on how well they're doing with the diatoms and hair algae.

Week 3: 
5 more of both, a fire shrimp or a peppermint and a pom pom crab (I confess the pom pom is more for show). I think I'll get my first fish around this time so the shrimp is more for the fish than anything else.

Does anyone else have one of these Pom Poms? Are they good sand cleaners (I so can't wait to see it mop the sand floor)

Week 5:
More fish so I plan on another fire shrimp and a peppermint. I may also pick up a cucumber if it looks like the crabs aren't doing a good job around the LR base.

I have a few mounds and hills in my sand. I have 4 inches in the back, 3 inches in the front corners and 2 inches in the front center of the tank. Should I get something to borrow into the sand (like a star) once all of this is established or do I not have enough sand to worry about it?


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## dhubhain (Jan 15, 2012)

I should also add, I was thinking of 2 or 3 cleaner clams. But its more for show than anything else. I did hear they do a great job converting nitrogen products to oxygen. Anyone have any luck with them? Any suggestions?


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