I didn't actually 'notice' a tank cycle but did not test daily either. LFS has said that is pretty normal., but also said to keep the salinity at 1.023. Would the tank have not properly cycled with just LR? As I had mentioned, I do have 3 LPS corals that are living still and look totally fine. Should they be fed every few days with the foods I was sold for them or can they survive longer periods? Would they not survive on a tank that has not cycled?
As for the other questions, I clean my sock under the tap by hand and throw them in the wash every 4 weeks or so without detergent or anything.
The snails I believe were Astreal (sp?) and bought 10.....six are easily visible at any given time. They obvioulsy move very slow and so they even have some algae growing on them
The 10 hermits I had I cannot see anymore (either all croaked or in the LR), but the cleaner shrimp is quite active and looks healthy.
So 2 things: I should cut back lights to 8 hours a day total, say noon to 8pm and get more of a clean-up crew?