good inverts for cleaning between/under rockwork?

julianp · #1 12/13/2007, 03:15 PM

I recently re-did the aquascape in my 90 gallon FOWLR and while I did, I noticed some gross, dark brown, decaying organic matter underneath the rockwork and in crevices that my snails and hydor koralia's couldn't reach. I'm looking for some recommendations on good inverts for digging all around the base and in between cracks of the rockwork (preferably not hermits). There are no corals so I don't have to consider "reef-safe".

I've been considering buying a bunch of bristleworms or something similar.

Thanks

Grins · #2 12/14/2007, 05:42 PM

Maybe a brittlestar? I have a black and orange/red one I love.

Alastair · #3 12/15/2007, 03:29 PM

Bristleworms.

renogaw · #4 12/16/2007, 07:05 AM

you could always get sally light foot crab,

jacksonimaging · #5 12/18/2007, 02:28 PM

I second Bristle Star. Mine does an awesome job at getting in the smallest cracks

jacksonimaging · #6 12/18/2007, 02:29 PM

brittle star*

Guygettnby · #7 12/18/2007, 07:22 PM

i would agree with some brittle stars and a few sally's.

flyyyguy · #8 12/19/2007, 03:59 AM

a handheld MJ1200 a hour before every water change.

you can put your finger over the end and control the flow so you dont over do it.

If you do this along with blowing out all the nooks and crannies in your rockwork your entire reef will be happier for it and it is much more effective than any creature(s) ever could be

scouncil · #9 12/19/2007, 07:08 PM

handheld MJ1200? I'm new, can you give me a link?

scouncil · #10 12/29/2007, 12:58 PM

So, you are just blowing out the nooks and crannies with the MaxiJet 1200 before you change the water?

invertaman · #11 12/29/2007, 02:42 PM

I wouldn't trust the sally's at all. I've heard that when they are fully grown they eat everything.

Guygettnby · #12 01/01/2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by invertaman
I wouldn't trust the sally's at all. I've heard that when they are fully grown they eat everything.

i have never heard this but what do you consider full grown? i have some large sally's in my tanks and have never had a problem with them. i would like to hear from somebody who has had this problem personally.

NanoReefWanabe · #13 01/02/2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by scouncil
So, you are just blowing out the nooks and crannies with the MaxiJet 1200 before you change the water?

yup...also you dont need to move the MJ around if you have some flexible 1/2" OD hose you can slip over the end of the output and then just push it in where ever you need...

or you can put the hose on the inlet side and suck the crap up...be carefull not to suck up too many rocks/ sand though... and just output it into your WC pail..

i do it to mine about and hour before the wc as mentioned that way stuff has a chance to be sucked out the overflow...or settle on the sand where i can siphon it out..if you going to try to let the overflow do it be sure to put a filter sock on the end of the drain to the sump to catch the poop and crap that gets drawn out of your display tank...

Musho3210 · #14 01/02/2008, 12:13 PM

turkey basters work nice if you dont want to get an MJ, just may take a longer time.

scouncil · #15 01/03/2008, 09:36 PM

Oh, problems with the Sally Lightfoot? I had a larger one nearly kill my purple tang. I took out a couple of fish that I thought were the problem and he kept getting worse, finally took out the sally (catching the fish and then the Sally was a big pain) and he survived. I know people who love them, but I won't get another. Some blue leg crabs killed one of my clams. I hate them too.

GS-Rock · #16 01/04/2008, 10:03 AM

i have a ton of cocopods and decapods that make up my clean up crew that will get in small cracks and holes in the rocks , they do a alright job but i think if i was to get some brittle stars added to my tank I think its should be more spot less

julianp · #17 01/08/2008, 04:12 AM

I ended up getting one of the kits from Indo-Pacific Sea Farms. Got lots of snails, micro-hermits, copepods, amphipods and bristle worms. They are breeding like crazy and doing a perfect job. Couldn't be happier.

I had forgotten to mention in the origional post -- there wasn't much life at all on most of the rock as a bunch of it initially went through hyposalinity not long after I got it because I somehow managed to introduce ich to the tank on a clump of macroalgae. Lesson learned -- I now quarantine even macro and inverts for 6 weeks.

Anyway, the IPSF kit put a huge jump on the micro and macrofauna/detrivore population. I've also been blowing off the rock with a cheap plastic turkey baster once or twice per week and it is working wonders. My rock looks cleaner, skimmer pulls out more gunk and nitrates went from a steady 15-20 to 0 because all of the suspended organic matter is fueling chaeto growth like crazy.

Hope this helps anyone else running into the same problem.
-Julian