Clean Up Crew Suggestions

BigManBud · 03/11/2006, 09:54 AM

Im about 3 weeks into this and I know that a clean up crew is just around the corner. I have a 120 gal, with about 175lbs of live rock, bout a 2" sand bed. The tank was ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate free in about 10 days after it was set up. What would you guys recommend as far as the clean up crew goes? Thanks in advance

bjonesjr1 · 03/11/2006, 10:30 AM

I bought 3 peppermint shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, & 5 snails to start out with... I then had put an anemone in my tank and the peppermint shrimp was picking at my anemone so I took them out but I recently added 10 more hermit crabs and 10 more snails to help with sand sifting and glass cleaning on the inside of the tank

bobby

BigManBud · 03/11/2006, 11:44 AM

Thanks bjonesjr1.... anybody else have any suggestions??

gary faulkner · 03/11/2006, 01:34 PM

100 asteras
100 ceriths
no crabs

BigManBud · 03/12/2006, 10:26 PM

thanks gary and may I ask why no crabs?

bertoni · 03/12/2006, 10:46 PM

Crabs are predatory. So are hermit crabs. I avoid both.

For that size tank, I'd probably start with a 12-18 Trochus, maybe 12-18 cerith, and some Stomatella. Can you buy locally? If so, you could just add some snails as you see the need. Every tank is different, and too many snails leads to starvation.

bjonesjr1 · 03/12/2006, 10:48 PM

Trochus, Cerith, Stomatella ??? never heard these names before John .....

bertoni · 03/12/2006, 10:50 PM

Trochus are sold by InlandAquatics.com, ipsf.com, and a bunch of other on-line vendors. I see them locally from time to time as well. Cerith are pretty common here as well. Stomatella I've gotten from InlandAquatics.com. They are able to reproduce successfully in our tank, which is a nice feature.

BigManBud · 03/12/2006, 10:54 PM

Thanks guys

bjonesjr1 · 03/12/2006, 10:56 PM

Thanks for the help you have provided as a mod John I really appreciate the knowledge, and info you have given with a great response time and I think that is awsome

Sk8r · 03/12/2006, 11:13 PM

I'm a great fan of the fighting conch...they're an honest, very hardworking sand-cleaner that will clip hair algae at the roots, and if they're burrowing, they're probably still eating. I don't think mine has rested more than 12 hours in the last two months. Hermits have flipped her over: she tucks in and ignores them...
Blueleg and scarlet hermits are great fun, IMHO. One of mine in particular will pick up a snail and go all over it like an ear of buttered corn, then set it down and go away. The snail will be unscathed and cleaned of algae. Astraeas can get places the big snails don't reach easily, and they really scrape. But the big turbos are real generalists, while the 'moon' snails specialize in glass.

tweety69711 · 03/12/2006, 11:16 PM

i would get like 10 turbo snails, at least 15 blue legged crabs... (supposed to have 1/gal) astrea snails are good also

03/11/2006, 09:54 AM	#1
BigManBud Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 108	Clean Up Crew Suggestions Im about 3 weeks into this and I know that a clean up crew is just around the corner. I have a 120 gal, with about 175lbs of live rock, bout a 2" sand bed. The tank was ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate free in about 10 days after it was set up. What would you guys recommend as far as the clean up crew goes? Thanks in advance

03/11/2006, 10:30 AM	#2
bjonesjr1 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 1,258	I bought 3 peppermint shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, & 5 snails to start out with... I then had put an anemone in my tank and the peppermint shrimp was picking at my anemone so I took them out but I recently added 10 more hermit crabs and 10 more snails to help with sand sifting and glass cleaning on the inside of the tank bobby __________________ Bobby Current Tank Info: 75gal, LifeReef CLF1 Sump & SVS2-24 Skimmer

03/11/2006, 01:34 PM	#4
gary faulkner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,468	100 asteras 100 ceriths no crabs __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 300G SPS

03/12/2006, 10:46 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Crabs are predatory. So are hermit crabs. I avoid both. For that size tank, I'd probably start with a 12-18 Trochus, maybe 12-18 cerith, and some Stomatella. Can you buy locally? If so, you could just add some snails as you see the need. Every tank is different, and too many snails leads to starvation. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/12/2006, 10:48 PM	#7
bjonesjr1 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 1,258	Trochus, Cerith, Stomatella ??? never heard these names before John ..... __________________ Bobby Current Tank Info: 75gal, LifeReef CLF1 Sump & SVS2-24 Skimmer

03/11/2006, 11:44 AM	#3
BigManBud Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 108	Thanks bjonesjr1.... anybody else have any suggestions??

03/12/2006, 10:26 PM	#5
BigManBud Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 108	thanks gary and may I ask why no crabs?

03/12/2006, 10:50 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Trochus are sold by InlandAquatics.com, ipsf.com, and a bunch of other on-line vendors. I see them locally from time to time as well. Cerith are pretty common here as well. Stomatella I've gotten from InlandAquatics.com. They are able to reproduce successfully in our tank, which is a nice feature. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/12/2006, 10:54 PM	#9
BigManBud Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 108	Thanks guys

03/12/2006, 10:56 PM	#10
bjonesjr1 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 1,258	Thanks for the help you have provided as a mod John I really appreciate the knowledge, and info you have given with a great response time and I think that is awsome __________________ Bobby Current Tank Info: 75gal, LifeReef CLF1 Sump & SVS2-24 Skimmer

03/12/2006, 11:13 PM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I'm a great fan of the fighting conch...they're an honest, very hardworking sand-cleaner that will clip hair algae at the roots, and if they're burrowing, they're probably still eating. I don't think mine has rested more than 12 hours in the last two months. Hermits have flipped her over: she tucks in and ignores them... Blueleg and scarlet hermits are great fun, IMHO. One of mine in particular will pick up a snail and go all over it like an ear of buttered corn, then set it down and go away. The snail will be unscathed and cleaned of algae. Astraeas can get places the big snails don't reach easily, and they really scrape. But the big turbos are real generalists, while the 'moon' snails specialize in glass. __________________ 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%.

03/12/2006, 11:16 PM	#12
tweety69711 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vernon Hills Posts: 106	cleanup i would get like 10 turbo snails, at least 15 blue legged crabs... (supposed to have 1/gal) astrea snails are good also