Clean up crew?

justjes45 · Mar 14, 2016

I need a clean up crew for my 30 gal tank.
I was looking online and found a pretty good deal from saltybottomreefcompany.com
Anyone ever use them?

Amps Reef Life · Mar 14, 2016

Can't say. I've never used them.

GMay · Mar 14, 2016

No. You might also check reefcleaners.org. They have a site with useful information and provide CUCs that are very reasonable.

cloak · Mar 14, 2016

For that size tank I think you would be better off just buying 3-5 Trochus or Turbo snails and perhaps a couple Scarlet hermit crabs from your LFS. See how these do for awhile and hopefully if things go right you won't have to add any more janitors to your tank. A little elbow grease can go a long way sometimes. GL.

jamie callard · Mar 14, 2016

Personaly i stay away from hermits as they kill snails for there shells. Get a sally lightfoot and 2 emerld crabs then 2 fighting Chroncs 5 turbo and 5 naasi snails in my opinion.

Wiz · Mar 14, 2016

I halfway agree with the hermit's although the Scarlets can be very helpful for cleaning and are not that bad. In my opinion Sally Lightfoot will eat more than snails. Definitely go with it least one conch. Tigers sand conchs are my favorite but all are similar.

Nick92515 · Mar 14, 2016

i would get 5 nass snails, a mexican turbo, a 3 trouchus, 2 nerits and 2 cerith. wait a few weeks then a fighting conch.

d2mini · Mar 14, 2016

I just placed another order with Reefcleaners.org
There is a link on their site to request a custom cleanup crew for your tank. Just fill out the form and they'll email you a suggested crew!
Great prices, and John always seems to send more than you ordered to account for DOA's.

stunreefer · Mar 14, 2016

What issues are you having that requires cleaning by inverts?

This tank has one tuxedo urchin; no snails, hermits, etc.

YOU are the best clean up crew, in conjunction with properly sized equipment.

I think people tend to forget that while "clean up crews" can make a quick dent in various algae, they then excrete waste which leads to more algae down the line. More often than not the "clean up crew" dies of starvation prior to their waste growing algae again for them to feed on. This cycle goes on and on, lining pockets of ill-informed retailers and killing wild-caught animals along the way.

d2mini · Mar 14, 2016

CUC's are fun! Just one of my favorite things about a reef tank.
I always have various stars, cucumbers, hermits, snails, conch's, shrimp, etc. Wouldn't be a reef tank without them. :)

ridawg · Mar 14, 2016

I have a question I have black stuff growing on my sand what is that

Salty1962 · Mar 14, 2016

Cyano bacteria

ridawg · Mar 15, 2016

Is that bad

stunreefer · Mar 15, 2016

d2mini said:
CUC's are fun! Just one of my favorite things about a reef tank.
I always have various stars, cucumbers, hermits, snails, conch's, shrimp, etc. Wouldn't be a reef tank without them. :)

I can totally dig this :D

What I don't dig is the thought that you have to have a clean up crew at all. Let alone the necessity to keep "X snails per gallon", etc. That thought is archaic and should be put to bed with "watts per gallon" regarding light, or "pounds per gallon" regarding live rock. If people want to keep them since it interests them, knowing that they'll have to directly supplement food in most cases, go for it!

d2mini · Mar 15, 2016

stunreefer said:
I can totally dig this :D

What I don't dig is the thought that you have to have a clean up crew at all. Let alone the necessity to keep "X snails per gallon", etc. That thought is archaic and should be put to bed with "watts per gallon" regarding light, or "pounds per gallon" regarding live rock. If people want to keep them since it interests them, knowing that they'll have to directly supplement food in most cases, go for it!

Yeah, I agree to an extent. It really depends on the tank.
In a traditional setup, I'd still recommend having something. Sure, we may not have enough food in the tank to keep them "long term" (whatever that means for a snail, lol) but I still think while they ARE alive and kicking, they are helping out.
They may not be REMOVING the waste, but they are helping break it down so something else can remove it.
But yes, like most things in this hobby, its not a case of definite yes or no. You don't HAVE to run a skimmer. You don't HAVE to have a sump. You don't HAVE to run GFO. You don't HAVE to do water changes.
Do what you need to do for your tank. :)