Can you check my Clean Up Crew

1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
4 astraea snails
4 cerith snails
1 emerald crab
1 turbo snail


Sound ok for my 5.5 gallon tank, will be a reef also.

thanks

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

Sounds great! Turbo snails have lot of poo in them so be careful LOL

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

Your going to like watching the cleaner shrimp clean your fish. You can't go wrong with the turbo either !
Great crew. How much algae do you have in your tank ?

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

Ok thanks. Right now I think I have a little brown (diatoms probably) on some LR and that's it really. Not much, I'm using a phosphate remover in my filter maybe it's doing an excellent job but tank is 2weeks old today.

Do you think I should step down on some snails or just special feed them if I don't have enough algae?

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

I'd lose the crab and only get 1 each of the other snails. Some places recommend 1 turbo snail per 10 gallons.

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
1 astraea snails
1 cerith snails
and
1 emerald crab

Ok lost turbo snail, I'd really like to keep the crab unless it's going to be a problem, do you know what type of problem he will make?

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

As they get older they become more aggressive

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

And the emerald crab may go after the other inverts in the tank. Snails would be easier targets for the crab since they are slooooww movers.

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

sometime next month I have to put the hermits in another tank so they can't get my snails or fish. Also watch out for bumble bee snails if you ever plan on getting them in the future.

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

Hmm never heard of that before, maybe I'll stay away from them then. Is there another type of crab I can get, I saw a decorator crab at my lfs but they get fairly large and others get too large/mean, are there any that would be suitable?

I'm thinking I might have to bump up the snails a bit since I'm getting some algae now with a 10w bulb and I'm going to get 36w of light friday but I'll have to see.

Is it ok to add some snails later after you already added some snails, I'm assuming yes?

thanks

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

It's going to be a challenge to keep algae from growing in your small setup. Adding more snails will just add to the amount of nutrients (they still eat and create waste). Heck, it can be somewhat of a challenge in larger saltwater setups too with high output lighting. You really have to stay on top of limiting nutrients using protein skimming, RO water, low bio-loads, high water flow, frequent small water changes, etc.

IMO, Adding more snails will just be a problem from an added nutrients standpoint.

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

Hmm ok well so far I only have diatoms so it's not a huge deal and I'm using phospate remover also and distilled water. I can't get RO water often enough so distilled will have to do. I'm thinking of doing two half-1gallon water changes a week, will have to monitor levels. I hope to get a protein skimmer eventually but will have to see about that.

I guess I'll stick with
1 astraea snail
1 cerith snail
1 peppermint shrimp

Will see how that does and consider adding a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp

Considering adding 1or2 clown goby for fish, though not sure on that yet, need to do some more research.

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

I would suggest a redea protein skimmer. That's if you plan to get one. I heard from so many people that they are the best to get. How is your refugium coming along?

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

I've used the Red Sea Prizm Protein Skimmer in the past and thought that it was just average for the gunk it pulled out and it leaked. I've had others write in about theirs leaking too. For about $50 more you could get an Aquac Remora.

Reviews w/Comments:
Prizm Protein Skimmer
Aquac Remora Protein Skimmer

 

Re: Can you check my CUC

I would suggest a redea protein skimmer. That's if you plan to get one. I heard from so many people that they are the best to get. How is your refugium coming along?

Hmm wil look into it. Refugium hasn't changed, no more LR, no new lights.

Mike I think I'll get the aquac Remora nano skimmer, pricey but looks nice though there's anothe skimmer that I'm looking at and I'll post a link later. I'm going to have to wait for a skimmer for another couple months. There's other costs that I need to pay and I have to wait for my parents to order it online again, they didn't really lilke the 120$ for lights and refractometer :-\