Are cleanup crews essential?

[BigDog008]

I'm running a bare bottom, high flow, aquaforest tank.... is a cleanup crew necessary?

I'm not a huge fan of snails/crabs... they've not done much for me in the past from my observations...

 

[brandon429]

I use none and am algae free always at all intervals. I cheat: killed it off the rock a few times then it didn't come back.

I watch out for too white lighting, im blue as 20 k just about to keep it suppressed.

 

[hatrix11]

You would just have to be your own cleanup crew. Changing filter socks more frequently and syphoning out detritus. Over feeding would bring consequences faster as well. You can also find more interesting critters that just crabs and snails.

 

[ReeferReefer]

It's not needed. I like hermits for eating any left over food but more mouths to feed means a bigger bioload.

 

[BigDog008]

Thanks for the input folks, I will be well armed with my Ehiem vacuum and will make sure I swap out my filter pads on a weekly basis :-)

For algae control, my magnificent fox face that's hanging out in his QT tank will be ready and waiting!

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Clean up crews can do more harm than good. they add waste to your tank and they can eat livestock.

 

[Sm51498]

People have pretty well summed it up here. I don't really like big snails myself but I am a fan of hermit crabs. They are fun critters and can help you break down uneaten food and dead live stock. To me, a clean up crew both adds and does not add to your bioload. They help convert waste and uneaten food into exportable forms. So that necessitates greater export capacity adding to your bioload. However, they also slow down the build up of detritus that slowly releases phosphates and ammonia into your water, reducing your reliance on manual removal and the need for water changes, thus lightening your bioload as that is concerned.

I have never found anything but an urchin very good at algae removal and they don't really keep your glass clean but a clean up crew does have a useful niche.