YAY! Cycle done, advice on CUC please.

PurpleMonkey · 07/09/2011, 03:11 PM

Just did a test... Amm 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0!!!

I've been doing my best to be patient, the only thing in my tank is a blue leg hermit (hitchhiker off some seed rock).

I've used BRS Reef Saver Eco rock ( http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-eco-rock.html )

Great looking rock but lots of nooks, crannies and rough edges.

I originally wanted to stick to snails only for my CUC, but thinking about it, I'm probably going to need some crabs to get at the rockwork.

I've done some research, have more to do but I'm hoping to pick all of your collective brains for some ideas.

Tank will be softies (zoas, rics, maybe a frogspawn) and fish (I was given a bicolor blenny (in a friends sump atm), thinking a yellow watchmen goby and prob occ or percs to keep the wife happy). It is a 29g biocube.

Thanks in advance!

ReefPharmer · 07/09/2011, 03:15 PM

check out reefcleaners.org or something like that. They are now a sponsor and did me very well when i ordered from them. I'd go for a bit of a smaller crew then most sites recommend as you dont need 29 crabs and tons of snails. The reefcleaners.org guy will give you advice and you can go from there

sjwitt · 07/09/2011, 03:15 PM

I would add some peppermint or skunk shrimp ... they have little claws and will dig into all the crevices for food. Emerald crabs are really cool as are sally lightfoot crabs. All reef safe and good cleaners. Emeralds and Sally Lightfoot are algae eaters and any scrap or detritus they can find. Also very interesting to watch.

bamf25 · 07/09/2011, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefPharmer

check out reefcleaners.org or something like that. They are now a sponsor and did me very well when i ordered from them. I'd go for a bit of a smaller crew then most sites recommend as you dont need 29 crabs and tons of snails. The reefcleaners.org guy will give you advice and you can go from there

Do reecleaners.org. The owners are very nice and they have preset snail crews at good prices (very good in fact). Warning, they send you ALOT, so get a starting crew about 1/3 to 1/2 of what they suggest in their packs. I got a crew for a 50 g or so for my 120g and it was plenty.

Just so you know. he send them basically on wet paper towels in bags by second day shipping. It seems strange when you get it, but I had near 100% survival. A few have commited sucide since then, but i can not blame him for that.

cloak · 07/09/2011, 03:48 PM

What kind of a mess are you dealing with? There's really no point in adding a ton of stuff right off the bat if things look relatively clean. I'd start off with maybe a half a dozen snails from your LFS at first and then go from there. (trochus, astrea, turbo, cerith, nerite, nassarius)

PurpleMonkey · 07/09/2011, 03:50 PM

I got some dino, cyano and algae is starting. I can't do reefcleaners because I'm in canada

sjwitt · 07/09/2011, 04:08 PM

I've read that Mexican Turbo Snails will eat just about anything.

nivekid · 07/09/2011, 07:53 PM

Be sure to have a good variety of snails. Different kinds eat different algae. For example, for the last six months I've been battling cotton candy algae. I've been so frustrated that I almost took the tank down. All water parameters were perfect and I have a good sized clean up crew.. Then I read on here that the Mexican Turbos love cotton candy algae. I bought a couple two weeks ago and now I'm looking the tank as I'm typing this and I only have couple small patches left. So, for you tank I'd get a couple trochus, a couple nerites and maybe a Mexican turbo (buy the smallest possible, they get BIG and can knock over corals, etc).

PurpleMonkey · 07/09/2011, 09:24 PM

I went to the lfs and picked up 2 blue leg hermits, 2 margaritas, 2 tonga nassarius and a cerith. The cerith didn't make it...

The tongas' buried themselves right away, the margaritas are doin laps around the glass and the crabs are gorging themselves

Sooo much more fun to watch than brittle stars waving their arms. lol.

07/09/2011, 03:11 PM	#1
PurpleMonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 78	YAY! Cycle done, advice on CUC please. Just did a test... Amm 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0!!! I've been doing my best to be patient, the only thing in my tank is a blue leg hermit (hitchhiker off some seed rock). I've used BRS Reef Saver Eco rock ( http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-eco-rock.html ) Great looking rock but lots of nooks, crannies and rough edges. I originally wanted to stick to snails only for my CUC, but thinking about it, I'm probably going to need some crabs to get at the rockwork. I've done some research, have more to do but I'm hoping to pick all of your collective brains for some ideas. Tank will be softies (zoas, rics, maybe a frogspawn) and fish (I was given a bicolor blenny (in a friends sump atm), thinking a yellow watchmen goby and prob occ or percs to keep the wife happy). It is a 29g biocube. Thanks in advance!

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07/09/2011, 03:15 PM	#2
ReefPharmer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: los angeles Posts: 1,836	check out reefcleaners.org or something like that. They are now a sponsor and did me very well when i ordered from them. I'd go for a bit of a smaller crew then most sites recommend as you dont need 29 crabs and tons of snails. The reefcleaners.org guy will give you advice and you can go from there

07/09/2011, 03:15 PM	#3
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	I would add some peppermint or skunk shrimp ... they have little claws and will dig into all the crevices for food. Emerald crabs are really cool as are sally lightfoot crabs. All reef safe and good cleaners. Emeralds and Sally Lightfoot are algae eaters and any scrap or detritus they can find. Also very interesting to watch.

07/09/2011, 03:48 PM	#5
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	What kind of a mess are you dealing with? There's really no point in adding a ton of stuff right off the bat if things look relatively clean. I'd start off with maybe a half a dozen snails from your LFS at first and then go from there. (trochus, astrea, turbo, cerith, nerite, nassarius)

07/09/2011, 03:50 PM	#6
PurpleMonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 78	I got some dino, cyano and algae is starting. I can't do reefcleaners because I'm in canada

07/09/2011, 04:08 PM	#7
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	I've read that Mexican Turbo Snails will eat just about anything.

07/09/2011, 07:53 PM	#8
nivekid Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Glendale, USA Posts: 282	Be sure to have a good variety of snails. Different kinds eat different algae. For example, for the last six months I've been battling cotton candy algae. I've been so frustrated that I almost took the tank down. All water parameters were perfect and I have a good sized clean up crew.. Then I read on here that the Mexican Turbos love cotton candy algae. I bought a couple two weeks ago and now I'm looking the tank as I'm typing this and I only have couple small patches left. So, for you tank I'd get a couple trochus, a couple nerites and maybe a Mexican turbo (buy the smallest possible, they get BIG and can knock over corals, etc).

07/09/2011, 09:24 PM	#9
PurpleMonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 78	I went to the lfs and picked up 2 blue leg hermits, 2 margaritas, 2 tonga nassarius and a cerith. The cerith didn't make it... The tongas' buried themselves right away, the margaritas are doin laps around the glass and the crabs are gorging themselves Sooo much more fun to watch than brittle stars waving their arms. lol.