need help~!!!

[blind]

i'm new to the whole saltwater thing.
I have a 12g nanocube. with
2 scooter blennies
1 percula clown
2 scarlet hermit crabs
a RIO 90
questions are:
1. how do i clean the top of my sand??
2. how do i clean the little pellets that the crabs leave behind?
3. is the nanocube light (50/50) sufficient for anenomes and corals?
4. besides the fish/inverts that i have, are there any others you can recommend?
sorry if these questions have already been asked/answered... i'm new to the forum thing. it was recommended by somone at the lfs.
thank u. ne help would be great. =D

 

[bigarn]

I would definitely get snails, more hermits and a cleaner shrimp. The pellets won't be a problem with a larger clean up crew and normal degradation.
I wouldn't put any more fish in there....small tanks are very tuff to maintain the right parameters and you don't want to exceed the proper bioload.
As far as lighting goes....I have an 80watt PC on my 10 gallon and 3 soft corals....all doing fine.
HTH

 

[blind]

what do u mean by larger clean up crew? sorry im new to this..

 

[spline9]

The snails, hermits, and cleaner shrimp he mentions are part of a cleanup crew.
Cleanup crews are scavanging critters that basically do just that, clean up. They eat up algae, detritus (poop) and dead stuff.
With them in the tank, they help maintain your water quality.
They are also fun to watch.
There is no definitive cleanup crew. Certain critters are good for certain things (algae eaters, sand sifters, detritus eaters, etc) so having a variety is good. You can mix/match as long as they are compatible with the rest of your tank.

 

[blind]

thanks for the help..i know what u mean they are fun to watch i like watching my hermit crabs

 

[spline9]

No prob. Thats what this forum's here for, eh? Hermits are awesome because they have so much personality. Only thing is that they sometimes get kinda agressive, especially when they get bigger.
I had a relatively large Strawberry Hermit that nipped the ends off my Sand Sifting Star, picked at my only button polyp, and harrassed my urchin. Had to get rid of him. Sucked because it was cool lookin. Oh well.
Oh, BTW, welcome to the boards!

 

[blind]

thanks for the welcome
i picked up a nassarius snail and a cleaner shrimp
do i need to get empty shells for my hermit crabs and snail?
the guy at my petstore told me i wouldnt need shells for the hermits cause they wont grow larger..

 

[bigarn]

Not for the snail....I'd have a few for the Hermits though.
I've seen one of my Hermits in a different shell twice within 20 mins. Stick with the red leg hermits....The blue ones will kill your snails and other hermits.
Sorry I Forgot.......WELCOME!:jumping: :jumping: