Need Cleanup Crew Suggestions

[dkarpouzos]

Hello All,

 

I am in the process of setting up my first reef and wanted to thank eveyone who posts here. This is the most helpful site I was able to come across by far.

 

I have set up a 16g cube, 12lbs LR with LS. The cycle finally completed last weekend and I started to slowly add the cleanup crew. I was hoping you guys can give me some more suggestions on what else if anything I still need to add.

 

Here is the set up so far. I will try to post a pic soon.

 

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate = 0 (actually nitrate is closer to 5)

PH = 8.1-8.3 slanity = 1.024

 

3 small blue leg hermits

1 pepermint shrimp

2 Astrea Snails

2 small Black Turbo's

 

Am I on the right track here? I was thinking of adding some narsissus or bumblebee snails to help with the sand but i'm having trouble finding them here in Denver. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[nanonewbies]

It seems to me that you are on the right track - I am still new to all this as well, but I read somewhere that it is good to have at least 1 snail AND 1 hermit for every two gallons...you might want to add a few more snails and a few more hermits (maybe a couple red legged?) - just so they can keep up with the 16 g.

 

If I am wrong about this - I hope someone more experienced lets me know! LOL

[2manytanks]

personal thing...i don't like hermits.....sooo

 

my suggestion:

 

5 Astreas

2 SMALL Turbos...(they get big)

5 or so nass snails (sand dwellers.. GREAT detrius vacs)

5 Cerith snails

2 peppermint shrimps (if you're lucky, they'll breed after a while and the napuli will feed your corals)

 

throw some empty shells in there for the hermits so they don't evict your snails for their shells

[dkarpouzos]

Thanks for the feedback. I actually threw in some shells for the hermits and 2 of them have already found new homes. The hermits are pretty ammusing but I have read they can be pretty destructive so I don't want to add too many.

 

One of the problems i'm having is that my sandbet is getting this brown film on it. From what I hear, it's pretty normal. I want to add some nassarious snails to help clean the sandbed (I hear they are really good for this) but for some reason the LFS's near me only carry Turbos, Astera, and Margaritta snails.

 

Is anyone familliar with LFS in the Denver Area?

 

Thanks for the input.

[Overtkill]

just wondering...what kind of help would the cerith snails provide?

 

And do the Astreas help keep the glass or rocks clean? Or both?

[2manytanks]

Margaurites aren't bad...trouble is when they fall, they can't turn themselves over and turn into food for the hermits/nass snails...

do a real good job on the glass though.

 

Brown film is probably diatoms. It will go away eventually, just doesn't seem like it....

 

Overkill

 

Astreas - both

Cerith - smaller snails, 1/2" or so. Also bury in sand. eats diatoms, red slime (sometimes), hair algae, detrius.

 

HTH

[onthefly]

In my 5.5 I have:

 

7 nassarius

3 astreas

2 baja red leg hermit (best hermit by far!)

2 small blue leg hermit

1 cleaner shrimp

1 emerald crab

 

PERFECT!

 

The astreas and nass will work the rock and glass. The nass will also clean the sand bed. The crabs will work over the rock and will pick at stuff on the sand bed as well.

 

With hermits, just make sure they have extra shells....mine have never gone after my snails!