When is it OK to add snails and hermit crabs?

[drakken]

My tank is done cycling and the wonderful brown diatoms are starting to grow. Ammonia and nitrite are 0 but nitrates are 40ppm. I did add some fern culerpa that is starting to grow also.
So, when can I add critters like turbo snails, blue or red leg hermit crabs and starfish (I like the Orange Linkia on sale from SWF)?
My tank is a 28 gal bowfront with 2 small fish, live sand but no live rock. I do plan to add live rock slowly to this tank.
Thanks!

 

[aarone]

i beleive its ok now to the clean up crew. I would check out the orange linkia, make sure it doesnt eat inverts. Im no expert though. but i added mine after the cycle, and they are still alive and kickin! after 9 months

 

[drakken]

Originally posted by aarone
but i added mine after the cycle, and they are still alive and kickin! after 9 months
aarone
What do you have for a clean-up crew?

 

[aarone]

i have 5 turbo snails, one big a$$ hermit. and 5 zebra legs. I had more but a brittle star attacked some of the snails.

 

[lesa]

Stars require a very mature and stable tank. I would wait on the star fish.
Opuira is the resident expert on stars she can help and tell you more on then.
Plus you can do a search and pull of a lot of knowledge on this subject

 

[krux]

the star definately does not fall into the category of clean up crew. you will have best luck with them in a tank that has been stable for at least 6 months. they require a lot of live rock to graze on, and they are very picky as far as water parameters go.
your standard clean up crew of hermits and snails can be added now that your cycle is over. you can do some 20% water changes for a week, maybe every 3 days to drive down the nitrates if you want to get them more in line before adding the cleanup.
look at the packages offered here for your size of tank to get an idea of what is recommended for your gallonage. i run pretty much exactly what they offer, with the exception of a few less hermits, and a few more species of snail. hermits tend to harass my corals, so i try to minimize my use of them, even though they are awesome at what they do.

 

[drakken]

Originally posted by krux
the star definately does not fall into the category of clean up crew. you will have best luck with them in a tank that has been stable for at least 6 months. they require a lot of live rock to graze on, and they are very picky as far as water parameters go.
your standard clean up crew of hermits and snails can be added now that your cycle is over. you can do some 20% water changes for a week, maybe every 3 days to drive down the nitrates if you want to get them more in line before adding the cleanup.
look at the packages offered here for your size of tank to get an idea of what is recommended for your gallonage. i run pretty much exactly what they offer, with the exception of a few less hermits, and a few more species of snail. hermits tend to harass my corals, so i try to minimize my use of them, even though they are awesome at what they do.
Krux,
I'll hold off on the starfish for a while. Will the clean up crew be OK without live rock?