CUC Questions

cdness · 08/08/2008, 01:04 PM

Hi All,

I have a couple clean up crew questions. All info is helpful and appreciated.

1. Is a cleanup crew necessary? (I was told by a local reefer that is isn't but I hear everyone here talking about it)

2. In a 75 G what would be a good crew?

Thanks!
Curtis

rustybucket145 · 08/08/2008, 01:10 PM

Well... I had this nice long post typed out.... but my pc gave me the blue screen of death.... I tried to contact microsoft.... they told me to buy a mac!

Just kidding!! hehehe.... although my pc did just die a few months back and my new puter is a mac!

Joking aside, I and many others feel that a cleanup crew is as essential to a saltwater tank as water. For a 75 I'd start with 20 hermits 20 snails of varying variety. There are many places that sell variety packs. I'd stay away from the cukes personally but some people like them.

After a month or two with 40 critters take stock and see how good of a job they are doing... is there still excess algae? if so, get some more.

cdness · 08/08/2008, 01:32 PM

Thanks for the info so far!

One more question to add:

3. If your LFS doesn't sell high quantities of CUC critters, where do you order them from or where would you recommend ordering them from?

Thanks again!
Curtis

SWINGRRRR · 08/08/2008, 01:34 PM

http://www.reefcleaners.org/

rustybucket145 · 08/08/2008, 02:04 PM

Garf.org
liveaquaria.com

among a few... there are MANY others. LFS's often charge over $2/critter... online you can get them below a dollar/each. Very much worth the effort of ordering online.

matthewscars · 08/08/2008, 02:26 PM

Sea Cucumber ALL THE WAY!

get the black/red ones that sift sand. they can be toxic, but thats the fun of them!

rustybucket145 · 08/08/2008, 02:29 PM

YAY!!!! They can be toxic and crash your entire tank and kill everything if they die!!! That sounds sooooo coool!!! I'm gonna put 20 in my 5 gal nano!!!

matthewscars · 08/08/2008, 02:40 PM

Realisticly they are fine. As long as you make sure they have food and stay away from powerheads. Ive have one for years, never gave me an issue. They are THE best sand/det cleaners ever.

You took my sarcasm so well!

Saltysteele · 08/08/2008, 03:26 PM

i've got 2, a tiger tail, and the other is rather "turd looking"

never had any problems, haven't talked to anyone with first-hand knowledge of problems. think a lot of it is hype

08/08/2008, 01:04 PM	#1
cdness Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fargo, ND Posts: 870	CUC Questions Hi All, I have a couple clean up crew questions. All info is helpful and appreciated. 1. Is a cleanup crew necessary? (I was told by a local reefer that is isn't but I hear everyone here talking about it) 2. In a 75 G what would be a good crew? Thanks! Curtis

08/08/2008, 01:10 PM	#2
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Well... I had this nice long post typed out.... but my pc gave me the blue screen of death.... I tried to contact microsoft.... they told me to buy a mac! Just kidding!! hehehe.... although my pc did just die a few months back and my new puter is a mac! Joking aside, I and many others feel that a cleanup crew is as essential to a saltwater tank as water. For a 75 I'd start with 20 hermits 20 snails of varying variety. There are many places that sell variety packs. I'd stay away from the cukes personally but some people like them. After a month or two with 40 critters take stock and see how good of a job they are doing... is there still excess algae? if so, get some more. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

08/08/2008, 01:32 PM	#3
cdness Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fargo, ND Posts: 870	Thanks for the info so far! One more question to add: 3. If your LFS doesn't sell high quantities of CUC critters, where do you order them from or where would you recommend ordering them from? Thanks again! Curtis __________________ 125G Reef, 40G sump, Marineland 4500 returns, Dart Closed Loop, OM 4-way, LED and Apollo LED Red River Valley Reefers - Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks Reef Club -http://redrivervalleyreefers.com Current Tank Info: 75G display, 20G sump, Additional 10G Fuge, drilled, Ocean Runner 6500 for closed loop, Catalina Aquarium CA4000 Return pump, MSX 160 Skimmer

08/08/2008, 01:34 PM	#4
SWINGRRRR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pcola FL Posts: 2,504	http://www.reefcleaners.org/ __________________ Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI

08/08/2008, 02:04 PM	#5
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Garf.org liveaquaria.com among a few... there are MANY others. LFS's often charge over $2/critter... online you can get them below a dollar/each. Very much worth the effort of ordering online. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

08/08/2008, 02:26 PM	#6
matthewscars Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Astoria, NY Posts: 657	Sea Cucumber ALL THE WAY! get the black/red ones that sift sand. they can be toxic, but thats the fun of them! __________________ A plane passed silently overhead, the streetlights, and the buds on the trees and the night, were still. Current Tank Info: 90g Reef/35g Sump with Foam Rock Wall. 10g Propagation Reef. 55g Goldfish Tank.

08/08/2008, 02:29 PM	#7
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	YAY!!!! They can be toxic and crash your entire tank and kill everything if they die!!! That sounds sooooo coool!!! I'm gonna put 20 in my 5 gal nano!!! __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

08/08/2008, 02:40 PM	#8
matthewscars Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Astoria, NY Posts: 657	Realisticly they are fine. As long as you make sure they have food and stay away from powerheads. Ive have one for years, never gave me an issue. They are THE best sand/det cleaners ever. You took my sarcasm so well! __________________ A plane passed silently overhead, the streetlights, and the buds on the trees and the night, were still. Current Tank Info: 90g Reef/35g Sump with Foam Rock Wall. 10g Propagation Reef. 55g Goldfish Tank.

08/08/2008, 03:26 PM	#9
Saltysteele Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: in a van, down by the river Posts: 19	i've got 2, a tiger tail, and the other is rather "turd looking" never had any problems, haven't talked to anyone with first-hand knowledge of problems. think a lot of it is hype __________________ Bret Current Tank Info: 100 gallon reef