clean up crew

so I’m working on plumbing a display refugium/macro algae tank into my main display tank which is a 135g. My main question is when can I add macros, and when should I add a clean up crew. Specifically snails, conchs, and sand sifting starfish to keep the sand bed turned over. Side note, I’ve had...

Got a nice batch of these algae busters. (H. diversicolor) Approximately 1-1.5". $30 each or 4 for $100. Pickup welcome in Buffalo NY, otherwise can ship UPS overnight for $50.

There was a comment in today's QOT (question of the day) that has me wondering: Do you quarantine or otherwise inspect/dip/etc your clean up crew? I've never done this before because I assumed whatever comes with them is nothing I could get rid off. I purchase from places I trust, and hope for...

Just upgraded my standard LFS sump to a really nice LifeReef sump and LifeReefugium. The new LifeReefugium is significantly bigger and better then the refugium I had in my old sump. Looking for tips and ideas on how to best stock this with micro-aglae and other clean-up-crew. The water volume...

Hey everyone, I've finally decided to get started again after a year of not touching my tank and could use some advice. Around last Thanksgiving while at a tech conference in Vegas, there was a power outage, and my apex for whatever reason didn't kick back on after power returned. I came home...

Hey y'all! My tank is showing diatoms finally so I was thinking it was time to get a CUC. I would like to avoid hermits and do a snail only CUC, but not sure how many of each to get. Since I am in the beginning stages, I figured half the amount would be efficient for now, but the problem is that...

Hello everyone, I am moving houses soon and am unable to take the tank. I am selling all my livestock for $180 which includes- 1 scopas tang 1 hawkfish 1 ribbon eel 1 forest fire anemone 1 sunburst anemone 1 bubble tip anemone 5 types of zoas - utter chaos, sakura sunrise, black galaxy, darth...

I have been dealing with this brown hair algae for the longest time. I've even restarted my whole tank and its back! I currently have a small court jester goby, tuxedo urchin, skunk cleaner shrimp and about ten turbo snails and it seems there is no progress. I do weekly 15% water changes and...

I used to have bryopsis and I got rid of it using this white medicine powder from LFS. However I can't seem to get rid of this different species and it's overunning the rockscape. I don't have much CUC left and need to get some anyways but if it's bryopsis I don't know if it'll help anyways. I...

I’ve been to multiple LFS recently and all have said that they don’t have turbo snails because they’ve been difficult to get recently. I finally found one that was willing to sell some from their display tank, but there were only two. I know that they’re still for sale on many places online, so...

Does anyone know any alternatives to an emerald crab?I am trying to avoid emerald crabs, I was wanna get a coral banded shrimp but I know peppermint shrimp would eat the Aipstasia, I bought a frag that had some of both on it, I didnt really think much at the time but now I know what aipstasia...

I overbought CUC for my reef. I can spare 3 large Mexican Turbo snails, 2 large nassarius snails, 3 trochus snails and 4 blue legged hermit crabs. Send me a note if interested.

I am starting my 300g off with a clown trigger, emperor angel, harlequin tusk, tesselata eel and maybe a shark. Currently have diatoms everywhere. already have used phosguard for 5 days, no results yet. Best way to remove diatoms? Main question- best cleanup crew for this aggressive tank -...

TLDR: I want to add a sexy shrimp or two. Alright everyone my Small but Mighty tank is up and running, has been showing stable parameters and good growth so I would love to add my first invert. A sexy shrimp. Currently we have no inverts or fish so it will be the first addition to our tank...

Hey, Does anyone have experience with weird acting snails? Got 3 new turbo snails around 3 weeks ago, but the weird thing is they have been in the exact same spot since I placed them down, two of them will not come out of its shell, the other one does come out but cant stick to anything, are...

So, I'll be getting a 55 gallon reef tank soon and I need help deciding my clean up crew. the stocking list for the fish that I am planning to get will all be compatible with snails/hermits/crabs/shrimp. I just have no idea how much to get of each, the CUC that I'm certain of having is 1 cleaner...

Our 125 frag tank has crushed coral gravel as substrate, chunks are about 10-12mm in size. Sand sifters are probably a no go, what can I put in here that will clean the substrate? I am unable to gravel vacuum it without taking all of the egg crate out which houses our frags. Pics of the algae.

What are the best hermit crab species that actively eat algae and help with things like GHA and diatoms? They also need to be small and reef safe. My snails don't do much.

I have a tank that is filled with micro brittle stars in the sandbed and I am thinking of taking some to introduce to my other tank so that they can populate the sand bed there. Is there a method to trap as many as possible so its easier to transport them to the other tank instead of sucking...

Hi All, My name is Raj, Living in Michigan. New to aquariums. Physician by profession. I am really glad to find this forum. Started exploring aquariums after my daughter asked for a small fish tank. After multiple trips to local fish store, impressed with reef and salt water ecosystems and...

I am getting a predatory tank im getting a trigger a lionfish a grouper and a eel what crustaceans can I put in their that’ll clean up and not get eaten

I’ve had my biocube set up for a while, and currently for CUC have 4 hermits, one skunk cleaner shrimp, and one emerald crab (has no interest in bubble algae) old CUC died in a previous tank crash a while ago. I’m not struggling with any specific algae currently, there’s film algae, and some...

Hello. I am setting up my first nano reef, which is 5.5 gallon, and I am wondering if I would be able to have a sea urchin or sea cucumber (of course after cycling and making sure the tank is stable). I know that they are both part of the cuc so if I got one would I get less snails? Would a 5.5...

I currently have a Fluval Evo 13.5 tank that will eventually be made into a reef tank and needed some help stocking it. At the moment my stocking list is : 1 wheeler shrimp goby possibly with a pistol shrimp pair 1 bumble bee shrimp 1 firefish goby 1-2 clownfish 2 Nassarius Snail 2 Astraea...

Hi! My tank just finished cycling and is ready for live stock. Should I turn on the lights and start adding a CUC? Wait and see if algae start to bloom to determine CUC? I am not sure of the direction to go here. Thanks!