Clean Up Crew Time?

tbopslt · 03/25/2013, 12:23 PM

My tank has been up for a couple of weeks with well established rock with very little die off and live sand. Put in a shrimp over a week ago and, other than a very small ammonia reading back then, my Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite are all unreadable. I did get a cyano algae bloom which has subsided a little with leaving lights out.

I think its time to start putting together my clean up crew. Does anyone have any experience with the packages offered by some of the internet places that offer packages like reeftopia or reefkeepers? Hope i am not violating anything by mentioning commercial websites? Thanks

worm5406 · 03/25/2013, 12:40 PM

There are some vendors/sponsors listed futrher down the list of forums on here. They all have good deals and different packages.

A lot of us have had good luck with John from reefcleaners. Go to the store and packages.

Yes it may seem like a lot of items but it is a good starting point in cleaning what is in your tank.

Cymonous · 03/25/2013, 12:41 PM

If it has been only a couple weeks, I would test the tank with some ammonia and see how quickly it goes away. Add about 2ppm of ammonia and it should go away within 24hrs. If this does happen, you should be good to start adding a CUC. I would go with a 1/4 of what is suggested for the amount of CUC for your tank. Then, slowly add more CUC to your tank as it is needed.

amutti · 03/25/2013, 12:49 PM

Get a small one. Add to it as you need. I like ordering from sealifeinc and putting together a package of my choosing. "Safe" choices would be blue legged hermits, scarlet hermits, harlequin serpent starts (stay small), cerith snails, astrea snails, turbo snails (they get big), Tonga Nassarius, and Banded Trochus Snail. I usually get two or three of each kind of snail mentioned (except the turbo where I might not get any unless I have a big algae issue), 5-8 blue legged hermits and a few scarlet hermits, and a 3 or 4 pepermit shrimp to start with. I also like mithrax crabs, but they have been known to become destructive (I've never experienced it) and porcelain crabs (more of a novelty, but easy to keep and totally non-destructive).

If you have no algae it might be better to skip on the snails until you need them, because they may starve.

03/25/2013, 12:23 PM	#1
tbopslt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Bloomingburg, NY Posts: 41	Clean Up Crew Time? My tank has been up for a couple of weeks with well established rock with very little die off and live sand. Put in a shrimp over a week ago and, other than a very small ammonia reading back then, my Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite are all unreadable. I did get a cyano algae bloom which has subsided a little with leaving lights out. I think its time to start putting together my clean up crew. Does anyone have any experience with the packages offered by some of the internet places that offer packages like reeftopia or reefkeepers? Hope i am not violating anything by mentioning commercial websites? Thanks __________________ 72G Bowfront, 15G Sump, 100 lbs Lv Rck, 80 lbs Live Sand, Coralife 120 Skimmer & 9w UV filter, Magdrive 1200 pump, 2 pendants (1-32 watt actinic bulbs &1-150 watt metal halide) each. Current Tank Info: 72 Gallon Bowfont

03/25/2013, 12:40 PM	#2
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	There are some vendors/sponsors listed futrher down the list of forums on here. They all have good deals and different packages. A lot of us have had good luck with John from reefcleaners. Go to the store and packages. Yes it may seem like a lot of items but it is a good starting point in cleaning what is in your tank. __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

03/25/2013, 12:41 PM	#3
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	If it has been only a couple weeks, I would test the tank with some ammonia and see how quickly it goes away. Add about 2ppm of ammonia and it should go away within 24hrs. If this does happen, you should be good to start adding a CUC. I would go with a 1/4 of what is suggested for the amount of CUC for your tank. Then, slowly add more CUC to your tank as it is needed. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

03/25/2013, 12:49 PM	#4
amutti Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: MA Posts: 357	Get a small one. Add to it as you need. I like ordering from sealifeinc and putting together a package of my choosing. "Safe" choices would be blue legged hermits, scarlet hermits, harlequin serpent starts (stay small), cerith snails, astrea snails, turbo snails (they get big), Tonga Nassarius, and Banded Trochus Snail. I usually get two or three of each kind of snail mentioned (except the turbo where I might not get any unless I have a big algae issue), 5-8 blue legged hermits and a few scarlet hermits, and a 3 or 4 pepermit shrimp to start with. I also like mithrax crabs, but they have been known to become destructive (I've never experienced it) and porcelain crabs (more of a novelty, but easy to keep and totally non-destructive). If you have no algae it might be better to skip on the snails until you need them, because they may starve.