time to go cleanup crew shopping!

[b_artman]

hello all(again)

i came back from a nice 4 day skiing vacation and went straight for the tank to see whats up.

results are same as before the trip: 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, ph 8.3/8.3, and gravity of 1.023. (10 gallon tank, 13 pounds of live rock)

last time i posted i was told to do a water change, but the trip and some last second things prevented that happening, so tomorrow i am doing a 10% water change and while im at the LFS would like to check out some clean up crew guys that i can purshase soon.

ive been reading the past threads and have come up with this quick list:

5 nassarius snails

5 astrea snails

2 scarlett hermits

2 blue hermits

1 shrimp of some kind(i was looking at scarlett skunk cleaner and blood red fire shrimp but unsure of either)

 

i was thinking of introducing the crew not at once but in two groups of halfs i guess(2, 3, 1, 1) and (3, 2, 1, 1, 1) in about a week. any suggestions or comments welcome, especially with regards to hermits and shrimps. i will be keeping two clowns in due time which makes me wonder whether to hold of on the cleaner shrimp till i get the fish.

[MrKrispy]

don't buy anything until the nitrates go down, no matter how excited you get!!!!

[b_artman]

yeah thats for sure, i wasnt planning on purchasing anything till the parameters are spot on, but just wanted to get an opinion on my list for when everything is ready.

[birdman204]

nitrates at 10 are ok. someone wanna correct me. I know reef levels are at near zero but you can get your cleanup crew now.

[MrKrispy]

The nitrates will probably go to 2 or so in just a few more days, why take the chance of killing the livestock? If you aren't running lights the tank can wait a week for the cleaning crew.

[b_artman]

like i said, i wasnt planning on putting anything in for a while longer. i just did the water change and will see later tonight and over the next few days how the parameters are doing. im interested in whether my list of clean up crew sounds about right and if there are comments or suggestions regarding those i chose and maybe ones i missed or should include.

[Isaka]

Even though alot of people here use hermit crabs, personally I like the all snail approach. Hermits unless given alot of extra shells (and even still) will kill a snail to take its shell. Nassarius snails are great to help keep sand stirred and clean (small so 5 like you said is probably good). Cerith snails are good too and most of them can turn themselves over. Astrea do more work on the rocks and glass than either of the other 2 but you need to keep an eye on them because most can't turn themselves over if they fall on their back. Nerite snails have a tendency of winding up on the floor outside the tank. Turbo snails are amazing cleaners, but if your rockwork isnt secure they will just move it around (wouldn't recommend more than maybe 1 per 5 gallon or so). This is all 1 man's opinion but hope something in there helps you. If I was to make a 10 my crew would be: 5 nassarius, 2 cerith, 2 astrea, 1 turbo.

[TiGs]

You don't want too big of a crew in the beginings, not much food to go around. Add a few snails and hermits and add more at a later date if your crew cant keep up.

[Blinkgyrl2987]

you mentioned a shrimp... I would get a scarlet skunk cleaner ...because they don't get big and are attractive in a reef tank... they are reef safe.... so in that aspect they are great!....like everyone else said.. add the clean up crew slowly.... and then add a shrimp if thats what you like.

[b_artman]

wow thanks a lot for all that info about the snails!! very informative. about the shrimp: i was researching the scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp myself and i like it. ill most likely get one after the snails are in and everything established. i didnt realize that the hermits are so destructive towards the snails. ill have to read a little more on them because i was sure i could keep both without a second thought. maybe ill toss a lot of shells in and hope for the best. reason i included them on the list in the first place was so that i could have a varied amount of animals. thanks for all the advice everyone!

[MrKrispy]

My scarlett hermits have never gone after a snail. I had a red legged hermit, he was a bully. Definitely focus on ceriths and nassarius for low maintenance. I have about 5 nerites for the glass, they can't seem to get over the lip of the tank so they are fine.