How do you keep your tank clean??

MikePowell · #1 05/15/2007, 01:09 PM

I am in the process of setting up a new sps tank. My question is what kind of "clean up" crew is the best? this is my first sps tank and i do not want to put the wrong things in there. let me know what you guys(and gals) have in your tanks. thank you for your time.

TIMMYE · #2 05/15/2007, 01:35 PM

I use a mixture of snails, brittle star and some emerald crabs in the fuge.

LobsterOfJustice · #3 05/15/2007, 02:08 PM

How big is the tank?

MikePowell · #4 05/15/2007, 02:25 PM

37 gallon with a 29 gallon fuge

pimo · #5 05/15/2007, 04:03 PM

i use astra snails + many small different snails who came with the rock.
i also have 2 sand shifting seastars.

Once i bought 2 hermit crabs with red legs, but i had to take them out couse they where "playing" with my sps frags.

jg_reefnut · #6 05/15/2007, 04:26 PM

snails and blue legged hermit crabs they stay small and dont seem to bother sps!! and about 200 small snails that were born in the tank they range in size from a pin head up to the size of a pencil eraser they get all the nooks and crannys very well

leveldrummer · #7 05/15/2007, 04:41 PM

i keep a mix of about 4 turbo's, a handfull of astreas, a bunch of hermits, and a couple random crabs and cleaner shrimp, also have a sand star, i mount frags down so nothing really gets pushed over.

SDguy · #8 05/15/2007, 04:55 PM

IMHO, for that size tank, you'll need no more than a couple trochus and a couple astreas. I think people often overdo the snail population in their tanks.

SDguy · #9 05/15/2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jg_reefnut
snails and blue legged hermit crabs they stay small and dont seem to bother sps!! and about 200 small snails that were born in the tank they range in size from a pin head up to the size of a pencil eraser they get all the nooks and crannys very well

Ugh! I HATE unwanted baby snails. They get everywhere...pump impellers, beckett injectors, needle valves. IME, buy snails that don't reproduce in captivity

trueblackpercula · #10 05/15/2007, 05:34 PM

I have 100 blue legs and 60 astrea snails...........Also today i picked up a yellow rabbit fish that is going crazy in the tank with all types of algea. I should have gotten him a year ago It has to be the best addition to the tank thus far for algea control.
Michael
P.s. he is even eating the really hard red algea that has grown yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

ReeferMonkey · #11 05/15/2007, 06:05 PM

I won't add hermits to any of my systems - I find they just eat all my snails.

My 60g has about 10 large Ceriths, 25 small Ceriths, 10 Astreas, a handful of volunteer Stomatella snails, two Skunk Cleaners and a yellow Florida sea cucumber. I thought about adding an emerald or a Sally Lightfoot crab but emeralds are so hit or miss and a friend of mine has a SL crab that eats LPS, so no go on that one. I'm probably going to transfer over some Turbo snails from my 20L to round out the crew; I may also add a few nassarius snails for the DSB.

I agree with SDGuy, people go nuts on cleanup crew. I did the same in the past and it always gets whittled down to a few survivors. Why do we take the recommendations of the folks selling us the clean up critters?

RedEyeElf · #12 05/15/2007, 06:31 PM

Nassarius snail
fun to watch during feeding time, and keep my sand WHITE

Nuuze · #13 05/15/2007, 06:40 PM

reeftopia DOT com, I bought their reef pack #3 for my 79G. So far so good, they do a great job day and night.

Laakmann · #14 05/15/2007, 07:05 PM

reeftopia.com is the best for clean up crews, they are so cheap and as far as quality goes exellent, I even ordered fish from them which arrived health and have stayed that way.

Napervegas · #15 05/15/2007, 08:07 PM

I have 3-4 hermits and a couple snails. Really just water changes and good skimming. I would like more snails but everything in my tank thinks they are for eating.

MikePowell · #16 05/16/2007, 08:37 AM

thank you for all the help, i think i know what i will get.

MiddletonMark · #17 05/16/2007, 12:36 PM

I've got about 8-10 Astreas in my 58 ... a couple Trochus, couple Ceriths. Often have an emerald crab or two, tend to skip the hermits.

Don't think my brittle/serpent stars do much `cleanup' ... I mostly spot-feed them.

I too agree that often the `recommended cleanup crew' is normally wildly more than you'll need ... or than will survive in a few months. Then again, with all those snails dying - you need a bigger cleanup crew

LobsterOfJustice · #18 05/16/2007, 12:58 PM

For a 37 gallon I personally would do:

10 Astrea
10 Cerith
5 Nassarius
5 Scarlet Reef Hermits (more expensive, but less likely to eat snails)
1 Small urchin (pincushion, tucedo, etc)
1 Tigertail cucumber

PUGroyale · #19 05/16/2007, 01:08 PM

I've got probably 60-70 assorted ceriths, nassarius, trochus, astrea, margarita, and an enormous turbo that won't die. three fighting conches, a serpent star, a lettuce nudi, and 3-4 hermits that have been around forever

A lot of my snails are pretty small, especially the sand dwellers... so maybe that's why there's such differing opinions on the number you should have.

SDguy · #20 05/16/2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PUGroyale
I've got probably 60-70 assorted ceriths, nassarius, trochus, astrea, margarita, and an enormous turbo that won't die. three fighting conches, a serpent star, a lettuce nudi, and 3-4 hermits that have been around forever

A lot of my snails are pretty small, especially the sand dwellers... so maybe that's why there's such differing opinions on the number you should have.

Plus, when you leave out your tank size, it's even harder to tell, hehe

PUGroyale · #21 05/16/2007, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDguy
Plus, when you leave out your tank size, it's even harder to tell, hehe

6g nano

just kidding... its 46g

danfrith · #22 05/16/2007, 10:31 PM

I agree, the naussarius snails keep my sand sparkling white.

Serioussnaps · #23 05/17/2007, 02:31 PM

Did anyone ever even consider not having one? I know plenty of methods which allow for not having a "cleanup crew".