What else??

[engine10ff]

I have a 20g that has finished its cycle. I have 7 blue leg hermits 3 astrea snails and an emerald crab. Any other suggestions for a cleaning crew? I would like to have a cleaner shrimp also. On another note, I notice that the emerald crab only comes out to play after the lights are turned off. Is there a light source that I can use that won't affect him so we can watch him roam? Right now we just have one flourescent light, plan on getting an upgrade later this summer.

 

[threed240]

There are several different moonlight applications you can buy. There was someone on here selling the kits for about $15 shipped.

 

[stingrayjs]

If you dont already get yourself a nice protein skimmer. It will make you life alot easier on a 20 gallon. As for the clean up crew that will do for now. But the e-crab they are like that, They don't normaly come out durring the day unless thye are very hungry. I dont even see the ones I have in my tank for months. Then they just come out and I find them sitting on a rock eating. Thats just their normal behavior.

 

[engine10ff]

Thanks for the info. Is it ok to add a cleaner shrimp too? Other than the cleaning crew we are looking to get a pair of clowns and after a lighting upgrade some corals.

 

[stingrayjs]

Yea I don't htink 1 would hurt. I know the one I have in my tank dose a good job keeping my fish clean. Also they are fun to watch so if you want one pick one up.

 

[engine10ff]

I got one finally, along with a couple clowns. The cleaner is a hoot to watch, just when you think he's not paying attention, he comes out of nowhere to grab the clown food that hit the sand. He also tries and tries to reach out and grab the clowns as the whiz by but they won't sit still long enough.
Brown algae has moved in also. I was wondering if I should increase the cleaning crew a little, maybe a couple more, different variety, of snails and a few more hermits. Another concern is the Coralline algae, seems to be progressing slowly but at least progressing. I was wondering if maybe that can be because of low watt flourescent lighting?? I know that brown algae is something that happens but I would like to get rid of it.
All in all, everything is progressing and it is exciting for everyone in the house that we finally have something to watch besides rock. My wife (who wasn't real excited about this in the first place) has also become more interested and wants a royal gramma. We saw one at the lfs and she's hooked. Maybe that means a bigger tank in the future ?!?
Thanks for all the input, look forward to more.

 

[sea_star]

Hermit crabs and snails will help with your algae problem. I think that if you have enough hiding places, a royal gramma would fit in your tank. I don't know how many more fish you could get after that though.

 

[engine10ff]

I think if we get the royal gramma we are prob done with fish. I would like to eventually get some corals but that is going to take a light upgrade. I think we'll hold off on anymore fish until we get the brown algae problem under control. What type of snails will help with the sand bed? Our Astrea snails seem to only hang out in the upper 1/3 of the tank, they don't venture too far from the water line.
On another note, our cleaner molted today, all the kids thought that was pretty cool. My wife says she'll never eat shrimp again.

 

[cbr0wn07]

Im in the same boat as you are engine, i just got my 20 set up and its ready for some fish...its just the matter of money for me now. I got 13 lbs of live rock, a lawn mower blenny, a dozen blue leg hermit crabs, a few snails, and 3 emerald crabs. Ive got 2 20000k corallife 20 watt bulbs and am ready to add a few mushrooms and maybe an anemone for a future clown or so.

 

[fishy?]

Sorry "cbr", but going to need ALOT more lighting for any kind of anemone, or coral. Prob. a power compact, or better yet but expensive metal halide.

 

[cbr0wn07]

I plan on upgrading just enough so that i have 5 watts per gallon which is the recommended wattage. Ill only need 100 watts of lighting....

 

[fishy?]

:happyfish okay, sorry i thought you were going to try to kill an anemone by putting it under 40 watts of light!

 

[cbr0wn07]

Nope, ive already thought all of it through...well most of it, there is always somthing you miss and you will think of later.

 

[fishy?]

yep!