Need a Good Cleanup Crew

[ReefRaff]

Any Recomendations?

50 Gallon tank

I'm not looking for the cheapest price, rather I want the best value. I'm not too sure about Hermits as they kill snails, But allot of people on line and online stores like to include them. What is the consensus here?

the lates shot of my tankright now there is no cleanup crew and I haven't cleaned the glass yet since I got back from vaca.

Please send recomendations.

Thanks.

 

[jamal-188]

I hate hermtis...pretty much all crabs in general actually. I'm' sure where to recommend but IME hermits wound up killing countless snails for a new home.

 

[ambulocetus]

Personally I like the hermits, they are always active and great fun to watch. Either keep adding new snails, or buy replacement shells from Walmart/craft store! Also I am in love with conches, as they are supreme eaters and look outta this world! Hilarious addition to any tank. and very beneficial too.

 

[phases99]

You will find a variety of snails and some hermits will take care of your basic cleanup of the rocks and the glass. The coralline on your front glass will need to be scaped by you. If you put enough empty shells for your hermits to grow into they should not bother your snails much, unless they fall on their backs and are easy pickings. Your tank is around the same size as mine and I have a variety of 20 snails and only 4 hermits and they are keeping my algae in check and hopefully any detrius too.

 

[NightSpirit]

I love my hermits and emerald crabs. They're such fun to watch.

 

[RocketSeason]

how big do the blue legged hermits get?

Are they dagerous to snails?

 

[NightSpirit]

Are they dagerous to snails

I think snails are food for almost anything, if they're not busy killing themselves.

 

[ReefRaff]

Ok well I went ahead with Liveaquaria.com. This is what I got to start.

Item # Description QTY Price Extended
CN-16584 SW - Algae Attack Pack - Deluxe (55 gal.) 1 x $118.99 = $118.99
SW - Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab 12 x $0.00 = $0.00
SW - Margarita Snail 24 x $0.00 = $0.00
SW - Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab 35 x $0.00 = $0.00
SW - Abalone, Tropical - Medium 2 x $0.00 = $0.00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subtotal: $118.99
Shipping: $24.99

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total: $143.98

Next I want a Yellow Watchman Goby.

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

Uhm, my pink spotted watchman killed my snails by picking them up and throwing them on their backs

 

[ReefRaff]

I have my shippment coming in in a few hrs. as far as acclimation, can I acclimat them all in the same buckett? or should I just float the bags and add water, dump,add,dump,add so forth and so on?

what i'm getting is listed above

 

[RocketSeason]

call me crazy, but that seems like quite a large cleanup crew for a 55.

are they assuming that many wont make it for Various reasons?

 

[rayjay]

In my opinion, a cleanup crew is something you may want, but you certainly don't need one.
I have 9 tanks totaling 850g plus related sumps and I have no "cleanup crew" as such. Three tanks have a serpent star and two tanks have blood shrimp and cleaner shrimp, and there are miniature snails and some miniature limpets growing in some of the systems from the live rock, (They never grow larger and are slightly smaller than the end of a pencil eraser) but I don't add snails and hermits. I prefer doing whatever housekeeping necessary to avoid getting these critters that seem to die off in great numbers in many hobbyists (and LFS) tanks.
When I am going to do a water change and cleaning, I let the algae build up a little on the glass so I can wipe it down, let it settle, and vacuum it out. Oh yes, I forgot. Before I vacuum, I also blow off the rocks with a power head and let the detritus settle and vacuum this detritus as well as the wiped off algae out of the tank.
A ninety gallon tank takes about 30 minutes not counting the settlement time for the algae and detritus, once a month, taking out 20g and replacing with 20g new salt water.

 

[Guest]

Actually there is something that eats coraline algae... They're called Urchins.. Only certain ones though..

 

[XXFirefighter]

I have my shippment coming in in a few hrs. as far as acclimation, can I acclimat them all in the same buckett? or should I just float the bags and add water, dump,add,dump,add so forth and so on?

what i'm getting is listed above

ya just acclimate em that way...
Looks like you went overboard with the cleanup crew heh

 

[ReefRaff]

Looks like you went overboard with the cleanup crew heh

Overboard? The package is supposed to be for a 55 gal. I have a 50 gal.

Do you think it's too much? they already in the tank now. lol

 

[philly]

i was looking at the picture of your aquarium and i was wondering what type of filter that is in the backround and if you recomend it?

 

[ReefRaff]

That is a skimbox For my Aqua-c Remora protein skimmer. I would recommend a skimmer yes, also I would recommend this brand too.

The skimbox fits around the pump and skims water of the top where Doc's accumulate of the surface of the water, resembling an oil slick

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

LOL, buy a lm blenny, they will eat up alot of algae, and live alot longer than snails or hermits, my lawnmower blenny is very fat because he gorges on my algae

 

[ReefRaff]

well, Here is the thing. I want to get a yellow watchmen goby also. wouldn't he fight with a blenny?

 

[Atari]

That cleanup crew looks too large even for a 100 gal 8O Way too many crabs IMO.

I can't believe they are selling it as recommended for a 55 gal