New 20 gallon, when to add cleanup crew?

[Brock Fluharty]

I am starting a new 20 gallon for my seahorses, and I was wondering when I can add my clean up crew? After the cycle, before the cycle, or during the cycle? I am planning on a lot of detritivores, because I have a medium sand bed. It is around 2.75 inches. I was planning on some microstars, some small nassarius snails, and some scarlet reef hermits. Maybe a sally lightfoot crab or something. Maybe a saron shrimp...it's not a reef.

Any other suggestions for detritivores for DSB? Or almost a DSB?

Brock

[TranZ]

IMO add your clean-up crew after the cycle....that way you won't lose any of them. I like cerith snails and nassarius snails to shift the sands.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Agreed, After the cycle. Keep an eye on your levls and once you see your ammonia and nitrite drop, you'll see the nitrates elevate then drop. Try not to add any inverts till your nitrate reading is well below 20 ppm. IMO it would be best to skip the sally lightfoot. They tend to get aggressive as they grow, and they do grow quickly. They can and have been known to catch small fish and eat them, so I certainly wouldn't trust one in a seahorse tank. The rest of your clean up crew looks good, but do add a couple of ceriths to help the nass nsails stir the sand and a couple of nerites to clean the glass and rocks.

Post up some pics when you can!

[gman0526]

I agree with SM on the Sally lightfoot, skip it, also remember that this is going to be mainly a seahorse tank keep it as peaceful as possible, do not overcrowd.

[Brock Fluharty]

Anything that will eat cyano?

[marshalrckman]

My cerith snails eat some of it.I have a Q for ya Brock,are you going to put gorgonians in there with your horses?