[MaxMouse]

Hello, I need help with choosing a cleaning crew.
My 55gal Tank has the following:
3Bags Live sand
55+lbs of Live rock

Fish:
3 Pajama Cardnels
2 True Purcula Clown Fish w/ 1 Sea Anetame...Whatever
1 Lawn Mower Blenny
2 Pepermint Shrimp
1 Hawian Feather Duster
1 (Vertical strips, top front fin comes to a flat end..same size as Pajamas)

Teach Me...thanks...

P.S.-No Hermit Crabs...lol...don't ask.

[Reefland]

MaxMouse, Welcome to Reefland!

There are several online places that sell packages, but sometimes they are interchangable and might contain things that you don't want or need.

Here are somet things to look for:
~40 Nassarius Snails
~15 Cerith Snails
~15 Trochus Snails
~15 Astrea Snails (some people avoid these because if they get turned upside down, they can't flip themselves back over)
2-3 Mexican Turbo Snails
I think this would be a pretty good start.

[Poseidon]

Hey Max, Welcome to Reefland!

I think Scott has given you a great recommendation, but I wanted to post, just so you can see my sig!! LOL

[MaxMouse]

Thank you Very much...

Originally Posted by Reefland

MaxMouse, Welcome to Reefland!

There are several online places that sell packages, but sometimes they are interchangable and might contain things that you don't want or need.

Here are somet things to look for:
~40 Nassarius Snails
~15 Cerith Snails
~15 Trochus Snails
~15 Astrea Snails (some people avoid these because if they get turned upside down, they can't flip themselves back over)
2-3 Mexican Turbo Snails
I think this would be a pretty good start.

[Key Of David]

Is there some reason crabs seem to be looked down upon? I just got two scarlet hermit crabs. I had to take the fake corals out because once the diatoms gotten eaten off of them (what I got the crabs for) they commenced to eating away the top layer of plastic. One has found the live rock though and has been cleaning the ugly algae off of the beautiful coraline algae. Its a scarlet hermit crab and it keeps busy all the time eating algae.

[Poseidon]

Yes CRABS HAVE SHARP CLAWS! Great for killing and EATING SNAILS!

[conda]

Hi,

I have a similar problem and was looking for advice on cleaners. I have a 55 gal with 50 lbs of crushed coral and about 45-50 lbs of rock (mixed tufa and live).

It has been about a month since I set it up and it never went through the cycle. So, the fish store I go to sold me two tank raised common clowns, (I didn't like the damsels) and said they would be fine to put in now while the tank cycles.

It's been two weeks and nothing moved, but I have brown and green hair algae everywhere. Also, the walls are covered with green algae that I keep scraping off every so often. All the rocks are covered and the substrate has a film of algae all over it. It looks awefull. Now, I am new to salt water tanks, been into freshwater for a while and just decided to try salt, so I don't know squat yet.

What can I put in there to clean the algae that won't die when the tank finally decides to cycle?

Thanks in advance

P.S. And thanks to whoever created the online Aquarium Log, I started using that today and it is wonderful.

[Reefland]

Hi conda, Welcome to Reefland!

If the tank has been set up for 1 month and had the liverock in there for that entire period, there is a good chance the rock you added was fully cured and your never going to see a full cycle. Fully cured liverock, if enough is added, will have a large enough bacteria population; a cycle is nothing more than a period of time needed for the appropriate bacteria colonization to take place.

With that said, I would say its ok to add some snails in the aquarium to help with the algae you are experiencing. Since you have crushed coral (which is another topic ) you will not need Nassarius or Cerith snails as recommended to the above member. You should look into some Trochus, Astrea and a Mexican Turbo or 2.

[conda]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Originally Posted by Reefland

Since you have crushed coral (which is another topic ) you will not need Nassarius or Cerith snails as recommended to the above member.

Uh Oh. What does that mean? Is crushed coral bad? I went on the advice of the people at the fish supply store on that one.

Originally Posted by Reefland

You should look into some Trochus, Astrea

Is there any guideline on how many are needed? Or is it trail an error. What about crabs?

I eventually want to make sure the tank is stablized so I can add an anemone and a couple of cleaner shimp, then a blue and yellow tang.

Thanks again

[Reefland]

Originally Posted by conda

Uh Oh. What does that mean? Is crushed coral bad? I went on the advice of the people at the fish supply store on that one.

Problem number 1, listening to the LFS. Crushed coral is so large in size, it allows waste to fall through to the bottom and again the size and oxygen level does not facilitate growth of the needed bacteria colonies to process the wate into nitrogen gas, thus you end up with a high nitrate problem.

Is there any guideline on how many are needed? Or is it trail an error. What about crabs?

You can start with 10-15 each of the Trochus and Astrea and 2 Mexican Turbo snails. Crabs, well no crabs in my opinion. They are opportunistic omnivores and have been known to kill and eat snails.

I eventually want to make sure the tank is stablized so I can add an anemone and a couple of cleaner shimp, then a blue and yellow tang.

I hate to be full of bad news but your tank is not large enough to support 2 tangs, 1 tang will be tight in there. Tangs need very large aqauriums to swim actively in, they are very active swimmers and need the room.

[conda]

Hmmm, maybe I don't have crushed coral then. It is not large at all, it looks like sand and very fine. The largest piece is about 1/16". I could have sworn that bag said crushed coral.
Will those snails you suggest eat the long stringy algae on the rocks and substrate too?

And thanks for the Tang tip, I did not know that. I have a book here that said I could add a hippo and yellow tang in the 55, that is where I got the idea.

[Reefland]

A lot of the hobby literature is out of date and that sounds like the case with the book that you have.

For the snails, yes they will eat at the various types of algae in the tank. Probably the best for hair algae is the Mexican Turbo snails in my experience.

[conda]

Thanks for all your help, it's much appreciated. I'm going to get the snails you suggested.

[rayjay]

Clean up crew's are not NEEDED, but only used to try to help algae problems along the way. (You probably will go through several stages of algae on the way to having a mature tank)
If you find and fix the problem, the algae goes away on its own.
Eleven years ago I started and was told I needed snails and hermits, only to have them die on me. I replaced them and again they died. I have seen countless posts on many boards over the years, complaining about dead snails and hermits, and hermits eating snails.
I never bought them again and I now have 7 sytems totalling 850g plus sumps, and have successfully handled algae problems by finding and fixing the problems.
Have a look at your LFS when he gets a snail shipment in and see how many end up dead on the bottom. Kind of scary to be spending money on something that many times is just going to die.

[Key Of David]

Ray does have a point about that one. At my LFS the empty snail shells carpet the bottom of the tank. I had two snails die on me within two weeks as well and am not keen to having scavengers die on me so easily with such an expensive investment. The chemicals released by even just one decaying scavenger are unreal. Imagine 1,000,000 times the pollution of its environment being soaked up all their lives wherever they've been and they release it in YOUR tank. Something to consider anyway.

[conda]

How about fish or other inverts then? What fish or inverts could I put in a 55g to eat the algae. I want to get more fish eventually anyway.

Thanks

[conda]

Well, I went and got two turbo snails and a few hermits anyway. They are just mowing down the algae and doing a great job. The person at my LFS told me the life span of cleaners are only 6 months and that I should remove them when they bite it.

[Poseidon]

I've had snails last MUCH longer then 6 months! I had a Strombus Alatus Technically NOT a snail, but it is a clean up critter for about 2 YEARS! Also some Mexican Turbo's have DOUBLED in size over the last year... Astrea's I seem to have to replenish, but that is from them not being able to right themselves if they flip over... My trigger gets a snack. I wouldn't neccessarily trust the word of that LFS....sounds kinda iffy!

[conda]

I'll have to tell her that. Maybe she is not very confident of her stock. But I have yet to have any problems with anything I buy from them. I have two freshwater tanks also filled with fish from my LFS and another called That Fish Place about an hour from me. I never lost a fish from either place. Hopefully the cleaners last longer than 6 months, they are not cheap.

Thanks for the reply.