Stocking Cleanup Crew for a 55 gallon FOWLR

Grummi · 04/11/2014, 04:58 PM

Hello i just started my cylcle in my 55 gallon FOWLR and im planning on getting my cleanup crew shortly here.

Was wondering if this would work and if anyone had any suggestions.

3 Emerald Crabs
8 Nassarius Snails
8 Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crabs
4 Dwarf Yellow Tip Hermit Crab

Currently i have 45 pounds of live rock, 60 pounds of live sand and two 850 korelia powerheads. Going to be adding a reef octopus protein skimmer shortly here as well. This will be a sumpless tank.

I Have no fish yet but will be adding two reef chromis pretty soon as well.

Will this work for a clean up crew? Do i need more/less ? I REALLY like the emerald crabs, Should i get a few more of those?

Thanks!

Sk8r · 04/11/2014, 05:09 PM

Skip the emeralds, double or triple the hermits, 2 nassarius if large. And add 20 ceriths.

cloak · 04/11/2014, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grummi

Hello i just started my cylcle in my 55 gallon FOWLR and im planning on getting my cleanup crew shortly here.

Was wondering if this would work and if anyone had any suggestions.

3 Emerald Crabs
8 Nassarius Snails
8 Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crabs
4 Dwarf Yellow Tip Hermit Crab

Currently i have 45 pounds of live rock, 60 pounds of live sand and two 850 korelia powerheads. Going to be adding a reef octopus protein skimmer shortly here as well. This will be a sumpless tank.

I Have no fish yet but will be adding two reef chromis pretty soon as well.

Will this work for a clean up crew? Do i need more/less ? I REALLY like the emerald crabs, Should i get a few more of those?

Thanks!

In a 55 gallon tank, I would probably start off with about 5-7 turbo or trochus snails, and maybe 2 scarlet hermit crabs. If your set on having an emerald crab, go ahead and add one, just keep your eyes on it though. They're not entirely "reef-safe." Being able to keep a happy healthy reef tank with the LEAST amount of janitors is really what you want IMO.
Just as an example, you can keep the glass clean with something like a Mag-Float. As far as the sand goes, you can also keep that clean by stirring it up with either your finger, a stick, or a small powerhead on occasion. (siphon that muck out) You might get some algae on the rocks in the beginning, but if everything goes right, it should be replaced by that purple coralline algae we all like given time. So there's really no need to add a large CUC right off the bat. A little elbow grease can go a long way sometimes. GL.

Grummi · 04/13/2014, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Skip the emeralds, double or triple the hermits, 2 nassarius if large. And add 20 ceriths.

Why skip emeralds? Everything i have read said they are an amazing CUC member.

TDM70 · 04/13/2014, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grummi

Why skip emeralds? Everything i have read said they are an amazing CUC member.

They're great scavengers but if they dont get their fill they will sometimes go for fish and such.

Spyderturbo007 · 04/14/2014, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

In a 55 gallon tank, I would probably start off with about 5-7 turbo or trochus snails

Wow, 5-7 turbo snails? I used to have 2 in my 55g and one died because there wasn't enough food for him to eat. 5-7 sounds like way too many to me.

Crooked Reef · 04/14/2014, 06:58 AM

I have 4 turbos and 8 trochus in my 65. Plus around 6 assorted hermits. I don't have any starvation. Could be just how much you fed and amount of live rock.

cloak · 04/14/2014, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyderturbo007

Wow, 5-7 turbo snails? I used to have 2 in my 55g and one died because there wasn't enough food for him to eat. 5-7 sounds like way too many to me.

Perhaps, but snails are cheap, if they start dying off due to starvation, so be it... (no algae)

Less is more when it comes down to a CUC IMO. (it means your doing something right)

MMacro · 04/14/2014, 10:47 PM

No emerald crabs. Hermit crabs and snails are very helpful. My snails destroy any unwanted algae on my glass. Hermit crabs eat waste/leftover food from the sand bed and in the small spaces of the live rock. I would also consider getting a few cleaner shrimp. (Skunk cleaner, peppermint shrimp) I would also recommend staying away from starfish as they can deplete the sand of any detrius especially if you are going to get a goby. Both the starfish and the goby might die off after a while.

jerseygurl · 04/15/2014, 02:12 PM

Crabs, while fun to look at, are unnecessary and will kill your snails. All you need are snails, nassarius (10 - 15) for the sand, cerith (10 - 15) for the glass, and turbo (3 - 5). Get a pair of cleaner shirmp and your set.

04/11/2014, 04:58 PM	#1
Grummi Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 22	Stocking Cleanup Crew for a 55 gallon FOWLR Hello i just started my cylcle in my 55 gallon FOWLR and im planning on getting my cleanup crew shortly here. Was wondering if this would work and if anyone had any suggestions. 3 Emerald Crabs 8 Nassarius Snails 8 Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crabs 4 Dwarf Yellow Tip Hermit Crab Currently i have 45 pounds of live rock, 60 pounds of live sand and two 850 korelia powerheads. Going to be adding a reef octopus protein skimmer shortly here as well. This will be a sumpless tank. I Have no fish yet but will be adding two reef chromis pretty soon as well. Will this work for a clean up crew? Do i need more/less ? I REALLY like the emerald crabs, Should i get a few more of those? Thanks!

04/11/2014, 05:09 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Skip the emeralds, double or triple the hermits, 2 nassarius if large. And add 20 ceriths. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/14/2014, 06:58 AM	#7
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	I have 4 turbos and 8 trochus in my 65. Plus around 6 assorted hermits. I don't have any starvation. Could be just how much you fed and amount of live rock. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

04/14/2014, 10:47 PM	#9
MMacro Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,442	No emerald crabs. Hermit crabs and snails are very helpful. My snails destroy any unwanted algae on my glass. Hermit crabs eat waste/leftover food from the sand bed and in the small spaces of the live rock. I would also consider getting a few cleaner shrimp. (Skunk cleaner, peppermint shrimp) I would also recommend staying away from starfish as they can deplete the sand of any detrius especially if you are going to get a goby. Both the starfish and the goby might die off after a while. __________________ 155 Mixed Reef (48x31x24)

04/15/2014, 02:12 PM	#10
jerseygurl Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 329	Crabs, while fun to look at, are unnecessary and will kill your snails. All you need are snails, nassarius (10 - 15) for the sand, cerith (10 - 15) for the glass, and turbo (3 - 5). Get a pair of cleaner shirmp and your set.