I need a cleanup crew

[barry769]

I've finally gotten all of the live rock in place in my tank, there are little critters everywhere now all over the glass and sand. I've had a decent diatom outbreak. The water params are all very close to normal and getting better daily (except trates which are still a bit high). My question is, how much of a cleanup crew can I get, I plan on adding it at the end of this week. I want to put in as much as I can without throwing my tank back into unbalance. What do you suggest I buy? I want some crabs, snails, shrimp.
-Scott

 

[nerdy]

I have a 35g and I put in blue legged hermits (25) and turbo snails (8) and my tank is preatty clean.

 

[birdy]

What exactly are your water parameters? You should be completely done with your cycle before adding Invertebrates. Ammonia, Nitrites should be 0 and Nitrates as low as possible at least below 25 probably more like 10. Shrimp are very sensitive to water conditions and need a long acclimation time. I like Mexican Trochus snails, emerald crabs, scarlet hermits, Brittle stars are good for detritus clean up. I really like my cleaner shrimp also. Click on the U build it section and it will tell you how many of each are recommended per gallon of water. I love the clean up crews from this site!

 

[pmauro]

I used the cleanup crew from SWF and it was great just look for the size for your tank

 

[dburr]

I always tell people to stay away from hermit crabs. More than 1 or 2 and they just kill each other.
I like to add different types of snails instead. Some go in the sand some eat hair algae.
I also have a cuc, 2 shimp, a urchin and the best clean up member I have, IMO, is my bristle tooth tang. He loves diatoms!
HTH

 

[barry769]

I checked today and my ammonia and nitrites are at zero, my nitrates are still a little high and I am going to wait for that to go down. If I were to buy the cleanup crew package that is suggested by this site though, wouldn't that be too much to put into a newly established tank at once? If it is too much, how much can I put in at once seeing as this will be the first thing in a new tank.

 

[algaeeater]

Hi
get yourself a fighting or queen conch. they are the best. Most of my crabs stay on the rocks and the snail on the glass. the conch stays on the sand and does a good job of stirring up the sand and even ate a patch of red slime I had.

 

[barry769]

I will consider the conch, but can I put the entire crew offered by this site in once the params are correct? This seems like too much to add at once to me. Anyone?

 

[saltyshark]

You shouldn't have a problem as long as your parameters are ok. Just follow the acclimations instructions they send you and then monitor your water conditions for the next few days. If they are off a bit a water change will put things where they belong.
BTW, never ordered a clean up crew from this site, but their livestock is exceptional!!
HTH,
Mike