clean up crew for fowlr

tura71 · #1 04/01/2007, 01:35 PM

I just started my 90 gallon tank a little over two weeks ago with about 50 lbs of live rock. I tested my water this morning and here's what I got.

Sp. Gr. 1.021
PH 7.8
amon 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

I have alot of brown algae with a very small amount of green algae. Is this normal for a new tank? Do I need to do something about this? What exactly is a clean up crew and do I need one? Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.

sir_dudeguy · #2 04/01/2007, 01:48 PM

well you just started it, and all new tanks go through a few algae phases, so i wouldnt even worry about it. Just normal probably. But the cleanup crew will help.

However, IMO you need to bump the SG up to 1.025 for inverts (snails). I dont think they'd really last that long in 1.021 to be honest. And i'd do a water change as well to maybe get the nitrates down a bit.

If the tank cycled, wait a couple weeks and then add your cleanup crew...i'd say start small with like 20 ceriths and maybe 20 astreas.

tura71 · #3 04/01/2007, 01:57 PM

ok, here's another question... if my lfs keeps their water at 1.019 and I raise mine to at least 1.025 how that affect any fish that I bring home? Will they adjust? Also, I'd like to eventually get a pair of clowns, a few blue green chromis, a tang, and maybe a bird wrasse ( not sure if they make good tankmates) would snails be ok with these?

vallon · #4 04/01/2007, 02:02 PM

You should read up on the clowns, they might not do well together, unless they were already together, very territorial. I don't know about the other fishes, you can also post in the FOWLR forum for more info.

Lotus99 · #5 04/01/2007, 02:27 PM

When you bring the fish home, you'll need to drip acclimate them. This helps them adjust to the difference in salinity, hardness, etc. Hopefully, you'll be quarantining everything in a separate tank before they go in the display tank. This gives you an opportunity to observe the fish and make sure they're disease-free, as well as protecting your main tank from the introduction of diseases like ich.

In case you hadn't figured it out, a cleanup crew consists of snails as well as things like hermit crabs and other inverts that clean sand or rocks. Some types are more suitable than others.

sir_dudeguy · #6 04/01/2007, 03:10 PM

i disagree with vallon. Clowns are not that territorial at all. That is depending on what clowns you get. If you get maroons, then sure, they're mean. But if you get regular percula clowns or ocellaris clowns, they're fine.

As for the SG differences between your LFS and your tank, thats why we acclimate fish...to get them used to anything different in our tanks.

As for fish being OK with snails...pretty much any snail is safe from just about every fish. There are the few exceptions like puffer fish and whatnot, but unless the fish has a visible "beak" sort of thing like a puffer, its usually safe to say your snails are not in any danger.

xenon · #7 04/01/2007, 03:38 PM

going from 1.019 - 1.026 is WAY too fast if aclimating over a few hrs.

Fish can only handle .001-.002 increase per day. Setup a QT tank that has the same salinity as your LFS and you can raise it over a period of a few days.

sir_dudeguy · #8 04/01/2007, 04:01 PM

how? lots of lfs's have low sg's in their tanks and most peoples tanks run at 1.025ish. I've got a bunch of fish from stores, and so do most people, so i'm just curious why that big of a change over just acclimating is so bad...

xenon · #9 04/01/2007, 04:18 PM

I read this on reefkeeping when learning about hypo.

They suggest an increase of .001-.002 per day when its time to return the fish from QT into the tank. They can handle a decrtease in salinity easier than an increase.

It has something to do with their organs failing if the increase is too fast.

tura71 · #10 04/01/2007, 08:14 PM

How big does a QT tank have to be? I have an extra 5 gallon tank, if I introduce the fish one at a time would that be ok to use until I can get something bigger?

Aliie · #11 04/01/2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sir_dudeguy
If you get maroons, then sure, they're mean.

Beware of not getting them in pair also. Single females seem to be worse than pairs. This from experience of having a female Maroon clown for 4 years and she can destroy tangs, angels and even kills her anemones when he's in a mood.

I still say get a cleaning crew and make your tank have some movement!