clean up crew

[magooo2]

Is there a specific amount in regard to the clean up crew. How many is too many. (crabs ,turbo snails)
I have a 40 gallon,w/sand base with 30# of live rock . I have hvo lighting with a magnum 350 canister using chemi-pur as a filter medium.There are currently 2 power heads. Nitrite and nitrate levels show 0 and ph is 7.8.
The water in the area is extremely hard but i use a ro setup in the house and some chemicals to lower the ph in the water. I guess my problem is that i can never seam to catch up to my algea problem. The tank has been established for over 1 year. There are currently 2 hermit crabs and 5 turbo snails prowling the confines with only 1 clown fish. I wanted to get the algea problem under control b4 i moved forward with a few more fish.
Am I wrong with that lighting if i want to keep some corals such as pulsating exena??? Any help with these areas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gbpack]

Look at what you would get from SWF in the reef packages. Some of the smaller ones will do for you. I have a 90 and I put 25 turbo, 25 blue and scarlet legs and some conchs in. It took about a week to clean it all up. Took only 2 days for the base.

 

[shawnhardy]

I don't know the answer to your cleaner crew question but your pH seems a little low. You want to keep it in the 8.1 - 8.4 range.

 

[townsdp]

I know this is horrible but bear with me. I have found that getting a slightly larger crew than needed is good because it will clean up the tank quickly but the system will balance itself out, as in, crabs will die off until you have the right amount for your tank, snails, etc. Just as advice, use more snails, less hermits and no bluelegs.

 

[gregvabch]

it does sound horrible but it's true i've never had any problems with blue legs, just curious why you don't recommend them.

 

[pacopetty]

they have a history of eating snails

 

[nacl-man]

The blue legs that I have in my tank are a roving band of murderers. They are like a cult or something, tracking down and mutilating poor defenseless Astereas.... very sad.

Other than that I haven't had any problems with them.

 

[townsdp]

my 7 bluelegs killed 2 nass. snails and 2-3 astrea snails within 2 days. They were evil. I was hoping toilet water would chill them out, haven't seen them since .....

 

[tizzo]

I wish this sight sold a good clean-up crew with no blue-legs!! Or I wish they would let you substitute... I had to "create my own" clean-up crew, I already had 3 blue-legs from the lfs and they bother my red hermits. I constantly have to pull them off of their (the red's) backs.

 

[stapler]

LOL...my story is the complete opposite. I have 3 bluelegs, and my red legs are constantly attacking them for their shell.