What to have for a Clean up Crew?

mikelush78

mikelush78

AC Members
Jun 30, 2006
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Rochester
I currently have 5 scarlet hermits, 6 Astraea snails, 4 bumble bee snails, 2 Nassarius Snails, and a queen conch for the substrate. I am still battling hair algae. I had bought a sea hair and got rid of my bio balls because I found out that they are nitrite factories. I have no phosphates and use silicate and phosphate remover. My PH is 8.15. Calcium is at 380 – 400 (I am currently working on that). I do not use a ro-di unit seeing down the road my LFS does not use one because they get the water report once a month and they say our water is great. The also have some algae but not nearly as bad as me. Since the tank is 24 gallon I do not have a skimmer on it. I will as soon as I change over to my 90 gallon. I will have an ASM G2. My question is do I not have enough cleanup crew? I also do not have a green emerald crab but do not have any bubble algae. What else should I get to help clean the algae up. I do have a lawnmower blenny to help also.
 
I'd get more snails and maybe a serpant star to eat left over foods. You might also check your water for phosphates and maybe reduce the hours of light for a little while ,"not by much though you have a lot of softies." I'd just beef up my herbivors and let them do the work for you . To give yuo a general idea I usually keep 1 to 2 snails per gallon in a reef and they still can't always keep up .
hth
chris
 
Definately get rid of the bumblebee snails. They are not equipped to eat any type of algae. They are predators meaning they will go after another snail or possibly, a sleeping fish. Replace the bumblebees with at least 3 or 4 more nac. snails. Add some cerith snails also.

Reduce your lighting by a few hrs. Manually remove the hair algae or, at least, as much as you can. Do at least 25% wc every week.

Also, that queen conch will get too big for that tank.
 
Ok, thanks for the input guys... here is what I am thinking:
12 blue leg hermits - $15 at my LFS
3 more Nassarius Snails to have a total of 5 in my 24 gallon
Return my bumble bee snails and get like 2 or 3 turbos or asteras...

How does that sound and any other suggestions?

And what is the diff between the scarlet or red reef hermits from the blue leg ones? Temperament, what they eat? Not to sure on that... I like the blue since I don’t have much blue in my aquarium. Should I not go with scarlets or the blue (I wan the blue if they will work)?

Thanks again guys
 
Scarlets are generally considered to be the least aggressive of commonly available hermits.

Blues can really be little terrors even if there are extra shells lying about.

I had to return my turbos because they got very big and kept on bowling over rockwork.

I prefer a combination of astreas, ceriths and nassarius snails. I understand the trochus snails are also very good.
 
hmmm so should I get like 5 hermits and beef up on more snails?
how does that sound then?
 
That sounds good to me . You might consider adding an emerald crap to they go through thread algae. I agree blue legs can be horid tank inhabitants.
 
If you look on ebay you can find 100 cerith snails or crabs for only $30. It sounds like allot but it really helps. It is also makes the tank more interesting.
 
Ok I took count on my cleanup crew and this is what I have:
7 Astraea Snails
2 Mexican Turbos
4 Bumble Bee Snails
4 Nassarius Snails
4 Scarlet Hermit Crabs

and i will be getting 1 Emerald Mythrax Crab today when i go to the LFS because i am starting to get a little bubble algea.

Any suggestions on what else i should get or beef up on a certain kind?
 
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