Question on some cleanup Crew

[nc2tarheel]

I have some brown algae but not too bad. I have a 55 gal tank with 2-3 inch sand bed. I have one piece of LR that is approx 6 pds and then several pieces of DR that I've had in for about 5 monthes which are FINALLY starting to get some coraline growth on them and become LIVE. WAHOO. Not much though, I'm just now seeing a LITTLE growth on them. My sand bed is live however and gets ugly after a while without weekly maintenance. To my knowledge it looks like diatoms but maybe just a type of brown algae? Anyway, I'm thinking of getting some cleanup crew members. All I have now is a cleaner shrimp and he just sits on my rocks and picks. Doesn't do much cleaning though. I also have two perc clowns. My question is, I want a new member but don't know what. I'd like some snails but since all I have is around 15 lbs or so of LR in a 55 gallon, I think they'd just be an eye sore. So I'm trying to wait on the snails for now. I've heard goby's are good at sifting and cleaning sand or maybe some crabs. At some point I'm going to go to a reef with fish aquarium but I don't know when. So I want something that is reef safe. Also not too agressive to where I have to watch him around my shrimp and such. Any Ideas???? Thanks
Keith

 

[nc2tarheel]

bump

 

[sula]

A yellow watchman goby is colorful and interesting. plus he will help stir the sand. Also, I went to my LFS and asked what they had for sand-sifting snails. They had to feed the tank to get the snails out of the sand - the snails were burrowed into the sand rather than stuck to the side. So if you don't like to "see" the snails, maybe shop for that kind - pretty sure they are Nassarius, plus they are virtually the same color as the sand.
One the other hand, I bought some Nassarius snails somewhere else and they are black and much bigger, so maybe they don't all look the same...
HTH

 

[boomper]

Nassarius snails will sift your sand for you and are very cool to watch. They will not be an eye sore since they hide in the sand most of the day and are usually active at night. Definately a great investment. :yes: