Cycle "done". Now what?

[Aeiyr]

As title states, my cycle is now "Complete" in that the ammonia has spiked, zero'd out. Nitrite also zero'd out as of today. In the lightest sense of the word, it's "done". So now what?

I also noticed today there is a very sparse amount of browish algea on patches of sand and my dry rockscape (Pictures included with white light at 100%)

Do I begin shopping for CuC? do I add the two fish I want? I've posted my build already but to reiterate the tank is an IM Nuvo Fusion 2 14g Peninsula with around 9-10 lbs of Marcorock in the DT and enough ceramic media in the first chamber to rival another 40 lbs of rock (That's what maxspect adverts it as at least)

CuC plans are as follows:
2 Astrea
3 Trochus
5 Blueleg Hermits
2-3 Nassarius
1 Tiger or Pink Lip Conch
Maybe an Emerald Crab or Pitho Crab.
I would also like to look into dropping in a jar of EcoPods before fish arrive to settle in and help with uglies/CuC.

I know the Nassarius, Crab, and Conch will likely need to wait for Fish in the system and more development before they can be sustained, so they'll either go in last or not at all if the tank can't produce food for them along with fish feedings. If I don't end up needing a CuC Crab I have considered a porcelain crab later on as a decorative invert/filter feeder.

For fish I will be getting two Mocha Clowns as the bare minimum, as that was always the intent. As things go on, I would like to consider a Yellow Watchman/Skrimp pair, but I want to make sure that like the nassarius and conch, the sandbed can support the nutrition it will need along with feedings. If things don't go that way I am completely content on this being a Clownfish pair tank with softies and LPS down the road.

Any advice and thoughts are appreciated in advance.

Pics of brown stuff attached, it's a very light brown/tan:

 

[Spare time]

You can start with some snails. I'd wait a bit to get any crabs unless you plan on feeding them. In the mean time, I'd get fish going in QT or add fish from a pre quarantined vendor. Technically inverts need to be quarantined too but if you add them and have the tank fishless for the period of a normal QT in a separate tank, it would be the same as placing them in a QT.

 

[Aeiyr]

You can start with some snails. I'd wait a bit to get any crabs unless you plan on feeding them. In the mean time, I'd get fish going in QT or add fish from a pre quarantined vendor. Technically inverts need to be quarantined too but if you add them and have the tank fishless for the period of a normal QT in a separate tank, it would be the same as placing them in a QT.

I don't have room for a QT tank currently, so I'll likely be going through Dr.reefs pre-quarantined fish. The price isn't too terrible for me. compared to what the LFS near me charges, I can either pay almost 60 bucks a pop for mocha clowns from them, or pay Dr. reefs 40 each for quarantined, conditioned Mocha's, with a $40-ish overnight ship and an arrive alive guarantee. Dr. reefs also sells their Inverts pre 76 day QT'd from fishless systems as well and honestly, the peace of mind is worth it to me.

I wouldn't have a problem feeding crabs with some algea wafers or Nori sheets, but I also don't mind waiting for more growth/balance either way.

Would the Algeabarn EcoPods be worth chucking in first? or start with the snails? If I go with Pods, do I need to turn off my return or take out my floss for a bit while they settle in or will they be fine going for a ride through the rear chambers?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You can add pods now. Follow the instructions you'll receive and turn off your pumps for a little while after adding them so they can find their way to the rocks and sand.

I personally would buy from @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens, but any pods will work. Buy some phytoplankton too.

The stuff on the sand is diatoms. They are the first part of the "algae cycle" and will get worse before they get better... It's normal.

My advice for adding the fish is this: right now your tank is "cycled" to the current bioload, which obviously is very minimal. Since you will likely want to add both clowns at the same time, continue (or start to) ghost feed with fish food (a tiny pinch each day) to allow the bacterial colony to continue to grow. That way, you will be sure it can support 2 fish when you add them (in 9ther words, don't let the existing bacteria starve while waiting for the fish.

Congratulations, and welcome to the reef life!

 

[Aeiyr]

You can add pods now. Follow the instructions you'll receive and turn off your pumps for a little while after adding them so they can find their way to the rocks and sand.

I personally would buy from @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens, but any pods will work. Buy some phytoplankton too.

The stuff on the sand is diatoms. They are the first part of the "algae cycle" and will get worse before they get better... It's normal.

My advice for adding the fish is this: right now your tank is "cycled" to the current bioload, which obviously is very minimal. Since you will likely want to add both clowns at the same time, continue (or start to) ghost feed with fish food (a tiny pinch each day) to allow the bacterial colony to continue to grow. That way, you will be sure it can support 2 fish when you add them (in 9ther words, don't let the existing bacteria starve while waiting for the fish.

Congratulations, and welcome to the reef life!

Will do, and thank you for the ID and the official welcome! On a sidenote, I absolutely did intend to buy phyto for the pods, but I have been unable to find much info on how much to feed them in my 14 gallon system (closer to 11.5-12.5g after rock and sand)

Should I just use a pipette and squirt a few ml in every couple days?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Will do, and thank you for the ID and the official welcome! On a sidenote, I absolutely did intend to buy phyto for the pods, but I have been unable to find much info on how much to feed them in my 14 gallon system (closer to 11.5-12.5g after rock and sand)

Should I just use a pipette and squirt a few ml in every couple days?

Idk about other companies but @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens can give you great advice about how much to use. They even include a syringe with their phyto shipments

(In fairness, I'm sure algaebarn includes instructions with Oceanmagic as well... I just have been completely satisfied with Dinkins )

 

[Spare time]

I don't have room for a QT tank currently, so I'll likely be going through Dr.reefs pre-quarantined fish. The price isn't too terrible for me. compared to what the LFS near me charges, I can either pay almost 60 bucks a pop for mocha clowns from them, or pay Dr. reefs 40 each for quarantined, conditioned Mocha's, with a $40-ish overnight ship and an arrive alive guarantee. Dr. reefs also sells their Inverts pre 76 day QT'd from fishless systems as well and honestly, the peace of mind is worth it to me.

I wouldn't have a problem feeding crabs with some algea wafers or Nori sheets, but I also don't mind waiting for more growth/balance either way.

Would the Algeabarn EcoPods be worth chucking in first? or start with the snails? If I go with Pods, do I need to turn off my return or take out my floss for a bit while they settle in or will they be fine going for a ride through the rear chambers?

You can add the pods. I would turn off the filter for a few minutes while they settle. Avoid tigrio pods since they don't do well long term in reefs. They will eat algae and detritus but you can also put in something like tiny amounts of spirula, or something like phytoplankton. I think they boomed liked crazy after I added reef enhance.

 

[Aeiyr]

Idk about other companies but @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens can give you great advice about how much to use. They even include a syringe with their phyto shipments

(In fairness, I'm sure algaebarn includes instructions with Oceanmagic as well... I just have been completely satisfied with Dinkins )

Thanks for the plug!, looking at their prices I definitely will give them first crack at my tank for Pods. Silly Bi-weekly payrate means I'll be waiting until next friday to order them, but I'm not in any rush. Looks to be a quality product! I wonder though, are the rotifers in the snacklebox jug food for the pods or just bonus microfauna for the system/both?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I wonder though, are the rotifers in the snacklebox jug food for the pods or just bonus microfauna for the system/both?

Honestly not sure. I usually buy bottles of single species pods, not the "snackle", lol!

 

[Aeiyr]

Honestly not sure. I usually buy bottles of single species pods, not the "snackle", lol!

Lol, such a good name for it too. The reason I'm considering the veriety is because every bit of info i've found getting into this hobby says bio diversity directly corelates to stability, even in the smallest organisms. I don't know that it will apply super heavily in the way of Pods but hey, can't hurt.

The day I see a post containing a phrase like "help, I've got too many Pods!" I'm gonna check the sky for meteors.