Clean Up Crew

[creston]

Im here to get some opinions on a Clean Up Crew. I am taking my water to be tested today and if all is good I will get a cuc. What is the best to get for a 29 gal tank with about 25LBS LR and 50LBS or so of LS? Also if I have the clean up crew before I add a fish what will they have to clean up? Do I need to feed them something? Until I add a fish?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by creston
http:///forum/post/3086164
Im here to get some opinions on a Clean Up Crew. I am taking my water to be tested today and if all is good I will get a cuc. What is the best to get for a 29 gal tank with about 25LBS LR and 50LBS or so of LS? Also if I have the clean up crew before I add a fish what will they have to clean up? Do I need to feed them something? Until I add a fish?

Have a look on the left of this page under reef packages to get an idea of the CUC you will need...The CUC eats algae and uneaten food and dead fish. In a new tank here should be plenty of yucky brown algae common to all new tanks.
If you have not gotten the algae bloom yet, you don't need the CUC yet.

 

[creston]

No Algae for me yet, its been about two weeks. My LFS said that my cycle will be fast so I am hoping I wont get any algae. I used all LR, LS, and Water from the store so nothing was really starting from scratch!

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by creston
http:///forum/post/3086179
No Algae for me yet, its been about two weeks. My LFS said that my cycle will be fast so I am hoping I wont get any algae. I used all LR, LS, and Water from the store so nothing was really starting from scratch!

Everything gets algae...I mean everything. Even very well established tanks get it. That is the main reason for a CUC + eating leftover food and the dead, but mostly algea.
It isn't a matter of cycled but that there is enough food for the critters to live on...don't try feeding them like fish, you will land up with cyano. Just relax and wait, if there is water in the tank and light...the algae will come.

 

[creston]

So if all my perams are ok with my water test and I add a fish, say a clown fish should I add the CUC as well or wait for the algae first and just have the clown for now? I do need something to eat the Aiptasia I noticed the other day I have some growing on the top of my LR, and today its gotten bigger so I want to have something eat it. I dont want to add chemicals or anything like that. I read on here that some shrimp eat it.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by creston
http:///forum/post/3086194
So if all my perams are ok with my water test and I add a fish, say a clown fish should I add the CUC as well or wait for the algae first and just have the clown for now? I do need something to eat the Aiptasia I noticed the other day I have some growing on the top of my LR, and today its gotten bigger so I want to have something eat it. I dont want to add chemicals or anything like that. I read on here that some shrimp eat it.

Yes after the cycle add a fish...you could add a couple of hermits and snails, but a full crew when the algae comes.

 

[creston]

Ok took my water in to get tested my water is excellent, they just had me add some calcium since I am wanting make it a reef. Everything else is perfect though. They told me to wait on a fish and had me add two perperment shrimps. They told me not to feed them that way they will eat the Aiptasia they said if I add the shrimp after the fish the shrimp will get spoiled and not eat the Aiptasia. Im wondering how long before they start eating them.