This may sound stupid......

[ladybug]

I have a 55gal up and running for about 3 months. It has cycled and fish are doing well. However, I do not currently have live sand or live rock at this time. Do I need a cleanup crew? Can I even put them in since I do not have LS or LR?
I bought a cleaner shrimp about 3 weeks ago. He molted and the next day he was dead. Do I need to do special things to the water to have a cleanup crew/inverts?
:notsure:
my ph is 8.0
nitrates 1.5
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
(all according to my test kit)
temp is 79
salinity is 1.022

 

[sweetdawn]

you need more details what are you using for filtration what is in the tank. cause it probably is not visually interesting if all it is just water and fish.

 

[fishieness]

you dont need a cleanup crew until you havae fish.
raise your salinity. That is pretty low for inverts. At least around 1.024 i would say. I keep my reef at 1.026

 

[ladybug]

I have some decorative rocks and plants. My substrate is saltwater gravel.
I have 3 percula clowns
a regal tang
a yellow tang
2 blue damsels
and a cleaner shrimp until recently.
I have a HOB filter and a protein skimmer and 2 powerheads.

 

[fishieness]

IMO, the tangs need more swimming space than a 55. But i would still say it might be your salinity level thatkilled the shrimp

 

[ntrigger]

Originally Posted by fishieness
IMO, the tangs need more swimming space than a 55. But i would still say it might be your salinity level thatkilled the shrimp
what should the salinity be at my 30 gal. tank is at between 1.022 and 1.023 and he is doing great. :notsure:

 

[fishieness]

IMO, inverts hsould have a salinity of 1.024+. A reef tank even higher. as i said, i keep mine at 1.026. But if you have yours at 1.022, then you may risk some of your inverts esspecialy if you do a bit too much top off water and it falls. If you are using a hydrometer it could be inaccurate and your salinity may be much lower than that even.

 

[sw65galma]

I forgot who it was...but they said
"I get water from the ocean from my LFS and it's 1.026, which is to high so i dillute it"
To which i replied "ok so the OCEAN basically where all life on earth, including the fish you have in your tank came from...is at the wrong salinity? "
He looked at it again and laughed....
So the moral of the story is....the ocean where EVERYTHING in your tank comes from...is at 1.026
I think that makes the GUESS work and Opinions on what salinity should be at....fairly simple.

 

[ladybug]

Thanks guys. I will try raising the salinity.
My tangs are pretty small (only about 1-1 1/2 inches)
This 55 gal is temporary. We are in the market for something larger.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by ladybug
Thanks guys. I will try raising the salinity.
My tangs are pretty small (only about 1-1 1/2 inches)
This 55 gal is temporary. We are in the market for something larger.

My personal opinion, that's fine to have the tangs since their that small. I have a Naso Tang in my 55, he's small too, about 2 inches. It is also temporary for him until spring when we purchase a 125+ gal tank, haven't decided on the size yet, but above 125 though. We do however have a Yellow Tang that is eating like a pig and is growing very very fast and we can't wait for the new tank to put them in.