Cleaning Crew for 20H?

[kleinn]

I'm sure someone has asked this before, but I couldn't find a thread about this so...
I have a 20H, 5 days into the cycle and in the next couple weeks I'm going to want to get my cleaning crew. But I've read lots of conflicting info on a good crew combo for a small reef tank. Any advice will be much appreciated!

Tank stats-
20H w/27lbs LR and 20lbs LS
2x65watt 10,000K and actinic Lunar
Penguin 125 bio/carbon filter
Red Sea Prism skimmer (not on yet)

 

[kleinn]

Anyone?

 

[kleinn]

Okay, maybe I need to be more specific. I have heard that herms eat lots of algae and look cool, but they kill stuff. So, no herms then. I like conks, some cool looking shells, but how many should/can be kept in a 20 gallon reef with a 1" sand bed? I want emerald crabs because some bubble algae is already spreading on my LR and they look cool, but how many of those do I needin a 20g? Also there are many different snails that all are good at cleaning glass/LR/LS etc. but are there any combos of spp. that are more effective at consuming all bad algae types? Then on top of that there are brittle stars, sand sifting stars, etc. that also look cool, but may get too big for a 20g reef. SO, the question still stands. What's a good cleaning crew combo for a 20g?
Here's what I'm thinking so far:
1 turbo snail
2 emerld crabs
6 cerith snails
4 nassarius snails
4 margarita snails
Too much of one? Not enough of another? Missing something all together?
Any input is welcome. I don't trust my LFS on this!
Thanks!

 

[millerman]

i to have a 20 gallon and for my cleaning crew i have 8 blue legs hermits 2 snails and a pepermint shrimp. i have mushrooms polyps, kenya tree, and more but my hermits do not eat anything other than algae that i have noticed. i am also thinking of a emerald crab also. but am taking it slow. how much liverock do you have and will it support enough food for these creatures.

 

[millerman]

thats alot of snails to me i would cut down on those. and substitute. i have not heard anything about star fish but i believe you need to have a well established tank to support these guys more people will post on this

 

[kleinn]

Yeah, I heard that about starfish also, so no starfish. I have 27lbs of LR and 20lbs of LS. Have you had any problems with your herms harrasing any of the other inverts? I heard that they can also clash with emerald crabs. Thanks!

 

[millerman]

No..when i first put in my first hermits they were fine for the first couple of weeks then they started fighting one another and realized they were fighting each other over the shells. so i went to my lfs and bought my pepermint shrimp and they just gave me a bunch of different sized shells. i have not heard about the clash between the emrald crab and i have not had any problems with the hermits bothering anything else. Now my tank is going great

 

[kleinn]

Thanks Millerman.

So if I make sure they have shells to move up into they should leave everybody alone? Is there a niche that the herms fill that snails won't? Or would it just be safer to have all snails? I have heard from a couple people that hermits are major opportunists and will kill or eat things if there isn't enough algae...I would rather just be safe than sorry. :thinking:
Opinions Welcome!

 

[millerman]

well the only way i can get my snails to go from the rock to the glass is if the rock meets glass for some reason i have not seen mine travel across the sand. and if the snails die i believe it can be very bad for the water. i would try a couple of:
4 hermits just try them dont like take back
pepermint shrimp- 1-2
2 snail.----i believe its the turbo that has to have a certain water temp and ive heard they dont live long
i have 8 hermits about 10 different sized shells that i keep between my liverock, 2 snails and 1 peprmint shrimp. i have not had trouble with doing it this way

 

[teresaq]

hi, for that size tank, i wold go with
3 to 5 red leg hermits.-they are less agressive
a couple of turbos to start with. add more latter if you need them.
about 15 to 20 nass for your sand bed. they keep everything nice and clean.
and 1 or 2 pepp shrimp
I would wait to add the emeralds, until you really need them. with a new tank there wont be much for them to eat.
Good Luck

 

[kleinn]

Okay, thanks for your help TeresaQ and Millerman! Sounds good. My 'trates seem to be dropping pretty rapidly and my skimmer finally arrived, so I think I'll order soon...