when to add a clean up crew.

[moneylaw]

when did you guys add your clean up crew? As soon as the tank finish fishless cycling or only after large amount of algae grow in the tank? I am wondering after I finish cycling the tank (fishless), should I add a couple of fishes and then add clean up crew later or add clean up crew first and then the fishes. Thanks.

 

[jennythebugg]

i don't know the proper time to add cuc but we did it right after the cycle was complete

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by jennythebugg
i don't know the proper time to add cuc but we did it right after the cycle was complete

Me too but I did it in stages. Figured out what I wanted and divided it by 3 trips over 3 weeks.

 

[moneylaw]

But will there be enough food (algae) for them at that time? I am not planning to add all at the same time as well and I will add a little at a time. How long did you guys wait to add fishes after clean up crew? Did you add at the same time? Thanks.

 

[anmldr]

I have been adding in different groups. I don't know if it was on purpose but I found some other stuff I needed and wanted so will be making another purchase soon.

 

[fishkiller]

1. Set up tank. Fill with LR. Get pumps, heaters, filtration running. Make sure temp, SG, and PH are kosher.
2. Wait till you have no ammonia or nitrites. (Keep lights on during the day no more than 8-10 hours a day, until it's safe to put corals in the system.) THEN introduce the inverts..
3. If you have about 1 lb of LR per gallon, you should start off with at least 1 hermit and one snail (depending on species and size)for every 2 gallons. Double it a week later if needed. If you wait too long to add a crew, you will end up with a mess that nothing but a complete overhaul will fix.

 

[moneylaw]

Originally Posted by fishkiller
1. Set up tank. Fill with LR. Get pumps, heaters, filtration running. Make sure temp, SG, and PH are kosher.
2. Wait till you have no ammonia or nitrites. (Keep lights on during the day no more than 8-10 hours a day, until it's safe to put corals in the system.) THEN introduce the inverts..
3. If you have about 1 lb of LR per gallon, you should start off with at least 1 hermit and one snail (depending on species and size)for every 2 gallons. Double it a week later if needed. If you wait too long to add a crew, you will end up with a mess that nothing but a complete overhaul will fix.
Thanks fishkiller. What kind of mess are you talking about? could you explain? Also I am having second thought about getting hermit crab, since I read that they (blue leg, red leg) will kill snails and also eat some soft coral (polyps or something). Is that wrong information?

 

[fishkiller]

Yes, that is mostly wrong. The only time I've seen the mentioned hermits eat any coral is when the coral was dead or almost dead. They can smell the decay as soon as it starts and they jump on it, usually. Blue legs and red legs are perfectly reef safe, as well as zebras and scarlets. As far as the hermits killing snails, they do for 3 reasons; 1. The hermits are running out of food in the system and are hungry for anything, including snails- BIG, easy meal. So make sure you don't have TOO many right off the bat.
2. The hermits are running out of room in their shells and they rip snails and other hermits out of a larger shell to make into their new home. It's usually easier to rip a snail out than fight another big hermit. So have a little "used car lot" of shells of different sizes behind your rock. They can be picky.
3. The snail(s) died already and the hermits are doing their job by eating the dead flesh. And then the bigger, badder hermits get the new snail shells. SO, ask your LFS for some snail shells, they'll have em in the coral system and/or the hermits and snail section just laying around on the bottom. Just tell em you get em free down the road and they won't charge you, usually.

 

[fishkiller]

Oh, and by "mess", I mean having more hair algae than you know what to do with, DIATOMS like crazy (that brown rusty looking crap everywhere, not to mention the build-up in the top layers of the substrate with will help cause a cyanobacteria out-brake, which I have personally seen make many enthusiasts quit and sell their tanks. It can be very VERY frustrating, but you can take care of it before it gets that bad. I'm sure you can pull up some nasty pics on a search for cyano.

 

[moneylaw]

Thanks fishkiller. I have a 55 gallon with 30 gallon refugium. I am planning to start with about 15 hermit crabs(blueleg, scarlet, zebra, jade) may be a couple of emerald crabs, 10 nassarius snails, 10 turbo snails. a couple of cleaner shrimp. Is that enough for clean up crew for the start? I will add more later in stages. Also do you recommend any star fish? please let me know. Thanks again.

 

[fishkiller]

Well, I would get astrea snails before the turbos honestly. Also, turbos have a habit of moving things but so do emeralds. One emerald should be fine in a 55. Also cleaner shrimp won't relly clean anything in your tank, except your fish. They clean parasites off fish, that's where they get there name. I would get more than 15 hermits, but get what you can for now.

 

[moneylaw]

Thanks fishkiler, you have been very helpful. I meant to say astrea snail. this site listed it as turbo/astera snail, so i thought they are the same. any other inverts that you recommend? starfish? any other type of shrimp? or are they not really necessary?

 

[ninjamini]

Yes, yes and yes.
Once you tank has tested for ammonia and nitrite and then test 0 for both its time to add cleaners.
Hermits, snails and one emerald.
If you have too many they will die off. Has hair algae started to grow? Diatoms will not be effected be anything but the nassarius and even then not so much by them. If you get this outbreak you need to increase flow. But its also a good sign for a new tank and telling you that the tank in now cycled.