How soon until I can add a pair of clownfish?

[mje113]

Ok, here's my tank's status:

 

Fluval 13.5

Started about 30 days ago

Fully cycled with live rock

Algae blooms are in full swing (Diatoms, some small bits of green hair, lots of fuzzy red/brown around)

Added CuC today and they are going to town on algae

 

So the question is, we'd like to get a pair of clowns, so how long should we wait at this point?

[seabass]

In short, anytime.  If using live rock, the biofilter should be good to go.

 

However, I have a guideline which says not to add anything (besides cleanup crew) while you are currently dealing with an issue.  If you subscribe to this, you'd wait until your cleanup crew gets things under control before adding your fish (which will increase the nutrients which is fueling your tank's algae bloom).

[mje113]

Yeah, good advice. I wouldn't actually say the algae is bad, just blooming. I'll try to give it a couple days. 

[Tired]

An algae bloom is pretty normal in a new tank, and may take months to fully settle out. It's not going to really die down until the rock starts to get slightly more established. It's also not really a concern, since you presumably have no corals to get smothered out by the algae. 

 

If you don't mind potentially having quite a bit more algae from the increased nutrients, you could go ahead and add your clownfish. It is probably a good idea to wait a little bit, since you have just added cleanup crew. Your cleanup crew will certainly make a dent in the algae, but there are very, very few good changes in a reef that happen in a matter of a few days, and resolving a new-tank algae bloom is not one of them.

 

Be sure to pick a pair where one is notably larger than the other, so you're certain to get a male and female. Clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they change sex according to certain conditions. In clownfish, they're all born males. If no females are present, the largest, most dominant male will become a female. Picking a pair that are mismatched in size means you'll definitely get at least one male, which is important, as two female clowns will fight potentially to the death. Particularly in a small tank. 

[less than bread]

I’d say you’re good to go. Keep up with water changes and get on a testing schedule. Keep a close eye on nitrates and phosphates.

 

Have you thought about coral as well? Getting some softies will help uptake some of those nutrients

[seabass]

13 hours ago, seabass said:

If you subscribe to this, you'd wait until your cleanup crew gets things under control before adding your fish

Under control doesn't necessarily mean to wait until the algae is all gone.  The guideline is for problems.  It serves me pretty well; saves money too.

 

So get your cleanup crew set; adding to it if necessary.  Practice tank maintenance (manual algae removal and water changes [if necessary]).  Get used to testing nutrient levels (phosphate and nitrate).

[mje113]

8 hours ago, less than bread said:

Have you thought about coral as well? Getting some softies will help uptake some of those nutrients

I hadn't thought about it yet, but I certainly could pick up a couple frags when I get the fish. Zoas or mushrooms good choices?

[mje113]

5 minutes ago, seabass said:

Under control doesn't necessarily mean to wait until the algae is all gone.  The guideline is for problems.  It serves me pretty well; saves money too.

Makes sense. I think I'll do a water change today, check params, then if good I may scoot out later today or tomorrow for fish shopping.

[mje113]

Maybe a dumb question but do people normally test before or after regular weekly changes?

[seabass]

10 minutes ago, mje113 said:

Maybe a dumb question but do people normally test before or after regular weekly changes?

I test before.  If you test afterward, I'd wait an hour or so before testing.

 

We used to suggest a particular percentage of water changes each week.  That's worked out for a lot of reef keepers.  However, today, I primarily just replace water that was removed during maintenance (like from siphoning waste off of the sand bed).

[Tamberav]

Test? 
 

haha. I generally add cuc before fish. Just always was an easier road then feeding fish and thereby feeding algae. 
 

 

[mje113]

Sorta unrelated to the thread, but woke up to a hermit crab party... I didn't know they were social critters.

 

 

[seabass]

18 minutes ago, mje113 said:

woke up to a hermit crab party... I didn't know they were social critters.

Maybe there was something that died there.

[mje113]

Oh, one final question (probably not haha), I have some Chemi-prure elite... I presume I'm good to add this since I'm cycled?

[seabass]

Sure, you can use chemical media now if you wish.

[Tired]

Chemipure should be used only when you have too many nutrients, and for some reason aren't removing them with water changes. It runs the risk of dropping your nutrients too low, particularly in a new tank that's in the ugly stages. Remember, lowering your nutrients too much will starve your algae and corals, without doing much about cyano and other completely undesirable algae-types. 

 

Aquatic hermits aren't usually social. Land hermits may be sometimes. Something of interest is happening on that spot.

[mje113]

5 minutes ago, Tired said:Aquatic hermits aren't usually social. Land hermits may be sometimes. Something of interest is happening on that spot.

Hmm, indeed, I just moved them all And didn't see much other than bare rock and coralline... and now they are all back there.

[Tired]

Plotting world domination? Don't have to be social to do that.