Just setup my 55g, can someone assist in a good clean up crew?
- Thread starter bohle
- Start date
lexluethar
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bohle
I have had the 55g tank running for 3 days now and I was wondering when I could add my clean up crew? Also what would be a good start to this, number wise? Thanks!
My theory is go with what works. It would be safe to say that you will need some hermits, some shrimp, some snails - but the amount really is dependent upon your bio load, lights, how often you change your water.
Not trying to beat around the bush, just saying that i've kinda come to the conclusion that every tank is a little different. Start off with 15 hermits and 5 snails, then add as you need more. NO need to buy 50+ critters for your cleanup crew, only to have half die b/c lack of algea and food to eat.
Just my two cents.
I have had the 55g tank running for 3 days now and I was wondering when I could add my clean up crew? Also what would be a good start to this, number wise? Thanks!
My theory is go with what works. It would be safe to say that you will need some hermits, some shrimp, some snails - but the amount really is dependent upon your bio load, lights, how often you change your water.
Not trying to beat around the bush, just saying that i've kinda come to the conclusion that every tank is a little different. Start off with 15 hermits and 5 snails, then add as you need more. NO need to buy 50+ critters for your cleanup crew, only to have half die b/c lack of algea and food to eat.
Just my two cents.
lexluethar
Active Member
I enjoy the mexican turbo snails - the reason being they do a decent job of eating the algea on my glass (not an awesome job but okay) and they are large enough that hermits don't try killing them. The hermits is the biggest (no pun intended) reason I like them.
If you do but turbos, make sure your rocks are very secure (maybe even drilled) because they are rather large and can get inbetween rocks causing unstable rockwork to collapse.
If you do but turbos, make sure your rocks are very secure (maybe even drilled) because they are rather large and can get inbetween rocks causing unstable rockwork to collapse.
lexluethar
Active Member
Originally Posted by MaTT B
wait has the tank even cycled yet?
I hope so...
wait has the tank even cycled yet?
I hope so...
jmick
Active Member
If it was me, I'd go with a dozen red legged hermit (they are a lot more passive then others and will not kill each other and snails) and I'd go with 10 or a dozen mexican turbo snails and depending on your sandbed I'd go with a few nassarius snails to maintain that.
Note, this is once your tank is fully cycled. I'd avoid urchins, starfish, cukes of any kind and horseshoe crabs atm also.
Note, this is once your tank is fully cycled. I'd avoid urchins, starfish, cukes of any kind and horseshoe crabs atm also.
lexluethar
Active Member
But now looking at the post, it has only been up for three days. YOur tank needs to cycle prior to adding any living thing. Otherwise it will more than likely die. You need to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Cycle your tank by using a raw shrimp, put it into the tnak. Every day test those three parameters, then when ammonia reaches 1.0 take out the shrimp and sit back for about three weeks while your tank cycles. Once there is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, then you should have some nitrates, do a 20% water change and your ready to go.
From today, you are about three-four weeks away from adding ANYTHING to the tank.
From today, you are about three-four weeks away from adding ANYTHING to the tank.
bohle
Member
Ahhh I got you, Im glad I asked here. 2 LFS told me Wed was a good time to put it in. I guess that was totally FALSE! Thanks for clearing this up. I will go get a piece of shrimp Thurs and a test kit and be on my way. Clean up crew after the ammonia and nitrite =0. Got you. During this time 10% water changes every week? Thanks again!
lexluethar
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bohle
Ahhh I got you, Im glad I asked here. 2 LFS told me Wed was a good time to put it in. I guess that was totally FALSE! Thanks for clearing this up. I will go get a piece of shrimp Thurs and a test kit and be on my way. Clean up crew after the ammonia and nitrite =0. Got you. During this time 10% water changes every week? Thanks again!
DO NOT do water changes during the cycle. The cycling process is just the population of certain beneficial bacteria that will break down fish crap and uneaten food into less harmful nitrate from very harmful ammonia. If you do water changes during this time you will just prolong this step, do not do any water changes unless your ammonia reads above 1.0 - then do small water changes to bring it back to 1.0 - then stop, let the cycle process bring the ammonia down from 1 to 0.
There are a TON of articles and threads on this topic, just use the search function
Ahhh I got you, Im glad I asked here. 2 LFS told me Wed was a good time to put it in. I guess that was totally FALSE! Thanks for clearing this up. I will go get a piece of shrimp Thurs and a test kit and be on my way. Clean up crew after the ammonia and nitrite =0. Got you. During this time 10% water changes every week? Thanks again!
DO NOT do water changes during the cycle. The cycling process is just the population of certain beneficial bacteria that will break down fish crap and uneaten food into less harmful nitrate from very harmful ammonia. If you do water changes during this time you will just prolong this step, do not do any water changes unless your ammonia reads above 1.0 - then do small water changes to bring it back to 1.0 - then stop, let the cycle process bring the ammonia down from 1 to 0.
There are a TON of articles and threads on this topic, just use the search function
lexluethar
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bohle
Ya I thought I was good to go. Guess I was wrong. Thanks again Lex you are the man!
And use RO/DI water
Now i'm out for the night for new years, have a good night everyone!
Drive save!
Ya I thought I was good to go. Guess I was wrong. Thanks again Lex you are the man!
And use RO/DI water
Now i'm out for the night for new years, have a good night everyone!
Drive save!
apos
Member
Cycling can go fast, or take a long time: you definately cannot bet on a standard amount of time. You just need to watch and go slow.
Honestly, I wouldn't add that many critters to the tank all at once, especially if you won't yet have a fish to clean up after. Go little by little, taking care to do full a acclimation process per each species' needs when you do add them. Also get a mix of snails: they eat different things, so lots of one kind will miss out on certain things.
Here's what I've learned on clean up crews so far (people disagree if I'm off base):
Mexican Turbos: a good idea, but don't overdo it on numbers or some will starve. Just one to start in a 55gal and see how it does. They are really fun to watch too with their big bugeyed ET heads.
Astrea: I've heard that these have problems turning over if they fall on their backs. I have just one and it has not had this problem yet, but who knows.
Margarita: Seem to be decent LR and glass cleaners. These I have had fall on their backs and can't get up... though I may have other problems causing this in my tank.
Cerith: supposedly do not have the turnover problem, and will stick to glass and LR duty, taking care of diatoms. The two I tried to add didn't make it, probably because I only acclimated them for 2 hours (rookie mistake). All snails are highly, highly sensitive to quick changes in salinity, so take extra care with them.
Narsarius snails: will dig in your substrate and eat food that lands on it. Fun and personable in the way they burst in and out of the sand, zoom around much faster than most snails, and look around with their little periscope siphons. A win win species IMHO
Conches: I've not tried one yet, but they are supposedly worthwhile. Most rarely climb, are neat looking, and will prowl your substrate.
Hermit crabs: go small. The bigger they get, the more likely they are to try and sample things that you don't want them to. Most healthy snails are safe, since they can seal up against attack, but there are no safe crabs and some people forgo them. However, the majority of folks seem to have them, and rarely have any problems. 15 is as many as you would want in a 55gal though at least to start (don't listen to the "1 per gallon! claims that some LFS will try to use to get you to buy a ton). Don't forget to make sure that they will have access to different size empty shells to transfer into when they grow, or else they will get desperate and eventually go after snails.
Emerald crabs: can attack other livestock if they get big enough. They are rumored eaters of bubble algae, though YMMV (mostly it seems to be whatever the individual crab decides he's into). Mine has yet to sample any that I've seen in a few weeks. Banish to the fuge if they ever get too adventurous.
Shrimp: I've not had any of these. Most of what I've heard is that they do more eating of extra food from you than they earn their keep in cleaning your tank. If you get fish though, some species can clean fish.
Cukes: danger danger will Robinson! Not for the beginner I think: you must know about their dangers if you consider it. Some species might be safer than others, but at least read up on them before so you know what you are getting into. They are, unfortunately, some pretty darn good substrate cleaners from what I hear.
Sand sifting stars: these are hardier than most stars, and will eat through your sand bed for you. However, what they will be eating are all of the beneficial animals that live there. And in a 55gal tank, the star will quickly eat everything there is to eat, then starve to death. If you want a star, try a brittle/serpent first rather than anything else.
Honestly, I wouldn't add that many critters to the tank all at once, especially if you won't yet have a fish to clean up after. Go little by little, taking care to do full a acclimation process per each species' needs when you do add them. Also get a mix of snails: they eat different things, so lots of one kind will miss out on certain things.
Here's what I've learned on clean up crews so far (people disagree if I'm off base):
Mexican Turbos: a good idea, but don't overdo it on numbers or some will starve. Just one to start in a 55gal and see how it does. They are really fun to watch too with their big bugeyed ET heads.
Astrea: I've heard that these have problems turning over if they fall on their backs. I have just one and it has not had this problem yet, but who knows.
Margarita: Seem to be decent LR and glass cleaners. These I have had fall on their backs and can't get up... though I may have other problems causing this in my tank.
Cerith: supposedly do not have the turnover problem, and will stick to glass and LR duty, taking care of diatoms. The two I tried to add didn't make it, probably because I only acclimated them for 2 hours (rookie mistake). All snails are highly, highly sensitive to quick changes in salinity, so take extra care with them.
Narsarius snails: will dig in your substrate and eat food that lands on it. Fun and personable in the way they burst in and out of the sand, zoom around much faster than most snails, and look around with their little periscope siphons. A win win species IMHO
Conches: I've not tried one yet, but they are supposedly worthwhile. Most rarely climb, are neat looking, and will prowl your substrate.
Hermit crabs: go small. The bigger they get, the more likely they are to try and sample things that you don't want them to. Most healthy snails are safe, since they can seal up against attack, but there are no safe crabs and some people forgo them. However, the majority of folks seem to have them, and rarely have any problems. 15 is as many as you would want in a 55gal though at least to start (don't listen to the "1 per gallon! claims that some LFS will try to use to get you to buy a ton). Don't forget to make sure that they will have access to different size empty shells to transfer into when they grow, or else they will get desperate and eventually go after snails.
Emerald crabs: can attack other livestock if they get big enough. They are rumored eaters of bubble algae, though YMMV (mostly it seems to be whatever the individual crab decides he's into). Mine has yet to sample any that I've seen in a few weeks. Banish to the fuge if they ever get too adventurous.
Shrimp: I've not had any of these. Most of what I've heard is that they do more eating of extra food from you than they earn their keep in cleaning your tank. If you get fish though, some species can clean fish.
Cukes: danger danger will Robinson! Not for the beginner I think: you must know about their dangers if you consider it. Some species might be safer than others, but at least read up on them before so you know what you are getting into. They are, unfortunately, some pretty darn good substrate cleaners from what I hear.
Sand sifting stars: these are hardier than most stars, and will eat through your sand bed for you. However, what they will be eating are all of the beneficial animals that live there. And in a 55gal tank, the star will quickly eat everything there is to eat, then starve to death. If you want a star, try a brittle/serpent first rather than anything else.
apos
Member
Lol: don't treat me like I'm an authority, I'm just a newbie too. This is just what I've read and been told from various people (some of which, you should understand, disagree: there are many unsettled debates in this hobby on the best way to do this or that)
I mostly just wanted to distill down everything I'd heard so far as well as give other people who know better a chance to correct me where I might be off base.
Good luck with cycling!
I mostly just wanted to distill down everything I'd heard so far as well as give other people who know better a chance to correct me where I might be off base.
Good luck with cycling!
dammar
Member
Other than just waiting for your tank to cycle, I waited until I had an algae bloom before i added my clean up crew.
If you put them in before the algae starts growing they wont have anything to eat and most of them (especially if you get a lot at once) will starve.
I added Phytoplex a few times after the cycle then the algae bloom hit and i got some snails / hermits. seamed to work good.
If you put them in before the algae starts growing they wont have anything to eat and most of them (especially if you get a lot at once) will starve.
I added Phytoplex a few times after the cycle then the algae bloom hit and i got some snails / hermits. seamed to work good.