Cleanup crew with DSB?

@knight

Member
i understand with a DSB a cleanup crew is not recommended, but would a some margarita snails or astrea snails throw things off?
I'm concerned about algae on the glass.
 

nm reef

Active Member
I have a DSB...along with 20 hermits....20 red leg...20-30 snails...brittle star...2 emeralds.....dragon goby......no problem with my sand bed.........also I've never heard that clean-up crew should be avoided with a DSB.........
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Who is this Dr. Ron, anyway? AquaLucifer? LOL
Detrivores or, cleanup crews as they are called on this site, are most definately used in DSB systems....they are, in fact, a most essential componet of the DSB. DSB won't make it without the reef janitors!
:D
 

@knight

Member
thanks for setting me straight, i thought it didnt sound right, but I could swear i read that in the agressive forum a while back.
 

wolffam

Member
Possibly read in a aggressive forum that it's hard to maintain a clean up crew. Eels, Lionfish, Triggers, etc all have the habit of catching and eating the clean up crew.
 

@knight

Member
i guess i'll second guess everything i read from now on, I have read many different things about R. Shimek, but I guess maybe his ways are a little different from the norm, huh?
 
Well, Here I go again. :rolleyes:
Not everyone shares the above opinions of Dr. Ron, or are sooooo articulate ("wack","whack") expressing them.
I am dissapointed that this type of bashing appears on what is supposed to be an informative forum.
I completely agree that we should share our opinions, but come on folks, let's do it in an intelligent way, so that people get the differing opinions in a way that they can then make an INFORMED decision of their own.
If you want to know more about Dr. Ron, his background, and his experiments with and writings on DSB's, go to his web site. I assume I can post it since he doesn't sell anything:
http://www.rshimek.com/
Once again, my humble .02
Hermit
 

ironreef

Member
the reason why you don't have sandsifters in a clean up crew is that they eat what keeps the sand alive. if anyone has read anything about dsb this is explained by many authors not just ron. cleanup crews are good =snails worms,few crabs ect.. sifters eat the flora fauna in the sand so it defeats the purpose of having a sandbed.Most sifters that are in the aquarium aren't long live once your sandbed dies ..if they don't take to processed foods. I've kept barebottom, cc plenum i find dsb the easiest and produce more life in the sandbed.having a sandbed I have 3 types of snails that breed in my tank. many more pods and worms that any of the other systems. plenums you don't want sandsifters. it ruins the system. Now I belive in dsb for reefs= animals spawn in the sand and feed corals. for a fish tank it maynot be the best. if you have messy fish.
 

@knight

Member
I have a plenum sustem burried beneath 4 1/2 '' of livesand.
Basically, what im needing to know is if Hermits and stars and snails are ok.
Trey, that quote you mentioned in your earlier post is precicely where i heard that.
I'm really confused on this issue now.
 

ironreef

Member
stay away from sandsifting linkia. anything else should be okay. Nothing thats a digger. sea serpants hermits snails =all good. margarita snails are good(eat alot of alga) but they are cooler water animals and may not be long lived in your tank.
 
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