audi206rs4 Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 my tank has been cycled for a couple weeks now, i've just been letting it run and stabilize itself. i'm probably gonna start off w/2 blue legs, 2 red leg hermits, 3 astrea snails, and 3 nass. snails. 10 at a time, i'll probably have 20 by the time i'm done but i want to give the tank time to catch up with the bio-load. is 20 cleanup critters enough or is it too much? also, i've never acclimated for sw before... what's some good ways... the drip method and what else??? or can someone provide me with a link or a site with more info on acclimation. thanks guys and gals!!! eloborate if you can please. i want my new friends to have as stress free of a move as possible! Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 oh it's a 10 gal with a 2.5 fuge. Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 about 18 lbs. lr about 13 lbs. ls 2x36w jbj pc 18w jbj pc on fuge maxi jet 1200 pump Link to comment
Beaker Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 Here's a link: http://www.aquacon.com/acclimation.html HTH Link to comment
SeaMountain Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 I currently have 5 Astrea's, three red legs and three blue legs left out of the original cleanup package from JustPhish.com. Originally started with 8 snails, but 3 didn't make the 24 hr period after the acclimation. Over the course of a number of months the hermits were waving colors and warring fairly regularly until peace prevailed. I'm thinking I had 8 and 5 respectively in the original order there too. Later I placed a coral order from the same vendor and also requested some nass snails. I received a dozen which I tossed into the tank. They seem to be doing fine and are a hoot to watch feasting when I drop in some fresh cut shrimp. Go with extra nass, you can't go wrong there. Plus they burow and keep your sand moving. Link to comment
Vincerama Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 I'm agreed on the nass snails! Very FAST snails! I only have two, but likely will put in another 2-4! I have 2 trochus snails, 1 Astraea snail one red leg and one blue leg hermit. I HAD 6 blue legs. two died, then last week when I was away, I had put on a BROKEN strainer on my HOB filter input...4 hermits decided to climb into it and they all died. I have a 10g and the green hair algae ran out, so I'm thinking that the 3 algae eating snails are sufficient, and the two hermits are ggod for keeping any new GHA blooms in check and the 2 nass snails I have are good for cleaning up after them...but the sand is still a bit messy, so like I said, I'm gonna get a few more. I might add some bio diversity with a cerith or something. But I must say 1) red leg hermit = very industrious and fun to watch! 2) blue leg hermit = small an not too effective, but fun to watch 3) trochus snails = these ROCK! They are GREAT at GHA eating! Plus they don't fall on their backs and die! 4) Astraea snail = good GHA eaters, but about 80% of them are too stupid to right themselves if they fall over and die. My one Astraea is pretty clever though. 5) Nassarius snails = fun to watch! They are like little sand sharks with snorkles...they move fast! I want a few more! Oh yeah, I used to have 3 HUGE mexican turbo snails and they ate GHA like nothing else but they all died within a week due to my crappy acclimation method. I was trying to keep them in a bag, then add a cup of water every 10 mintues for an hour. Not good. The best way is to drip tank water into the bag for FIVE hours or so and then dump the water and drip more for another hour or so. YOu gotta do it REAL SLOW for snails. It takes time, but it's the best way. V Link to comment
Andallya Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 We have both blue legged and red legged hermits, I wouldn't go with a blue leg again! Ours is continually pulling all the red legged out of their shells to see if they have a nicer home than he does. We ended up with differing opinions when we asked about them at the LFS, one guy said the blues were more herbavorous eaters and the red omnivorous, and then the manager laughed him right out of the store. I don't know if anyone else had this problem, but I wanted to pass the info along. Link to comment
Vincerama Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Go to Walmart, go the craft section and buy a pack of sea shells for 3 bucks. THen put the ones that look "blue legged hermit" sized into the tank and let them have those! V Link to comment
onthefly Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I have 2 baja red leg herm (awesome...always cleaning something, and never turned a mean eye to my astreas or nass's), one small blue leg, 6 nassarius snails, and 3 astreas......in my 5.5ga they're absolutley perfect! I did the same as vince and added a used car lot of shellsbehind my LR.....they swap out all the time!! Anyday, I expect to see my cleaner shrimp wearing a leisure suit and a pinky ring saying "come on down....I'll get you into a new shell.....TODAY!" Link to comment
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