Inverts coming tomorrow.

[AirRazr]

Now I know that I am probably overstocking my tank, but hear me out first before I get flamed. eTropicals.com had a special where you can build your own reef cleaning package. I am having ALOT of algae growth on everything in the tank, glass is slimey, rock is slimey etc etc; so I purchased the following:

5 Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crabs
5 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
2 Emerald Mithrax Crabs
1 Banded Coral Shrimp
10 Nassarius Snails
10 Cerith Snails
5 Bumble Bee Snails
1 Brittle Sea Star

All that for $67.00 with Free Overnight Shipping. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
Here are my latest water params. NH3: 0 NO3: 5 NO2: 0 pH: 8.1 SG: 1.023 Salinity 31 and temp running between 76.5 and 77.1.

My main question is, Is my temp ok for the livestock that I am about to introduce? I have seen that the temp shoud be between 72 and 78 for all the inverts in my list. Is that an absolute or more of a guideline?

TIA

[revhtree]

Your list is actually kind of small for a cleaning crew in a 75g tank.

Your temp is fine, however I might warm it up a bit for future fish you may add. I run my tank at 80 degrees.

PS. I have a 75g, and I have 30+ hermit crabs, 50+ snails, 2 starfish, 4 shrimp.
Your good!

[AirRazr]

wow, I thought I was overstocking it

[phases99]

Originally Posted by AirRazr

wow, I thought I was overstocking it

Inverts add less to your bioload than fish.

[austinsdad]

IMO, I think it's better to build up the cleaning crew anyway. Add more as more natural stuff to eat grows. Better than putting the max in there right away and they starve. What kinda fish you targeting anyway?

Maybe someone else could help since I've always had fish with my cleaning crew, but you may have to supplement the algae with other foods also now. My crew also gets leftover fish food.

[AirRazr]

The only fish that I have full decided on are a Porcupine Puffer (but I think it will go after my brittlestar) and a Bubble Tip Anemone and a Maroon Clown (but I have heard that the Banded Coral Shrimp will go after the Anemone). I want a Red Scooter Blenny. More passive fish. There is a Mexican Rock Wrasse at my LFS that is just awesome, she is VERY active, but I have been told that she isn't reef safe. That's all that I know that I want right now.

[seaham358]

The puffer is not reef safe either....

[sicklidkid]

I think that the puffer would pretty much wipe out alomost everything you bought. However my knowledge of puffer are not so good so i am sure will get better advice. Also what kind of lighting do you have or plan to get for the anemone?

[AirRazr]

Sicklid,

Right now, I only have the standard hood that came with my tank. When it comes time to get the Anemone, I am going to upgrade to a PC. Probably the Aqualite by Coralife.

Everyone else,

Ok, so my cleaning crew came in. I got them acclimated and sat for quite a bit of time just watching them graze and just live last night. My question is about my Brittlestar. I know they will eat stuff off the substrate, but what is the best way to supplement their diet if need be. I know that on etropicals.com, (where they came from), it says "In the aquarium it may be fed zooplankton, very finely chopped meaty items, and liquid invertebrate foods." What exactly are the "very finely chopped meaty items" it is talking about. Is there a particular brand of plankton that is better than another?

TIA

[quarryshark]

I feed my brittles and serpents some sinking pellets twice a week. They are all growing like weeds. Its fun to watch them stick their arms out from the rocks to grab the pellets. Amazing that they know right where they lay.
One of my serpents grew from about 5" to 10" in a year. I think they are getting enough.
Don't really need to give them much once you have fish, they will clean out the scraps left over.