Help Needed on clean up crew much appreciated if u do!!

Right its recently been my birthday and I'm investing in the marine hobby! i've kept Freshwater and tropical before so have experience in keeping fish and was just wondering what is the best possible clean up crew to have to assist in tank and fish cleaning.
My aquarium is most proberly going to be
160 litre glass aquarium W100 x D40 x H40cm.
Lighting canopy and bottom frame.
2 x GLO fluorescent bulbs.
Marina Power filter with 3 stage filtration.
Digital thermometer.
Heater.
Nutrafin Care Pack.

That's the kit I'm getting ino I'm going to need afew extras to convert it into a marine aquarium. I'm also thinking of getting LED lighting as in the future I would also like to house anemones

Any help would be much appreciated, H

 

Turbo snail is good for eating algae. Nassarius snail is good for the sand bed. Need a protein skimmer, power heads for water movement in your list too.

Saltwater Aquarium Setup
Marine Reef Tank Setup

-Mike

 

yeah I was thinking of some crabs and shrimp what the benefits of them?

 

Blue or red legged hermit crabs, Astrea or turbo snails, as for nassarius snails these snails do not eat detritus the will keep the sand bed moving some what these snails are meat eating types and must be feed just as the fish or they will die and poison the tank, make sure that you get 1-2 pounds of live rock per gallon of tank and let the rock go through the cycle process before you stock anything in the tank.

 

thanks what's the bets type of water pump do u know?

 

Propellar heads, I prefer Tunze brands they are very well built and last forever. Vortech makes a really good pump as well. these pumps are very expensive might I add.

 

its all good ive got the funds! just want a decent set up have u got any recommendations on what fish I should stock mate?

H

 

Depends on what fish you would want to have. Any ideas that you may have?

 

school of green chromis, 2 clowns, clean up crew that multI coloured goby is ACE! yellow tang cardinals white and black ones and I wanted one main attraction to the tank slightly bigger than rest and colourful any ideas please??

H

 

A yellow tang will get too large for your tank if you want something similar that could work better you could look into a lemon angel. I'm pretty sure they stay smaller.

 

thanks would this be the main centerpiece ??

 

To many fish listed for a 40 gallon tank. Please re-read your post 1 inch of fish per 10 gallons of volume like I had mentioned. Over stocking and doing to many fish to fast will cause you much grief, I suggest that you choose small types. While you are looking at fish try to find info on them and learn as much as you can prior to your purchuse this will help you understand and not end up loosing your whole tank. There are many combonations that don't work and some that do that is key at having a sustainable tank. There is a lot to learn in this hobby and the more that you are familiar with it the better you will be in the end.
Cheers mate!

 

Thanks man, I wasn't planning on introducing them all at ones anyways was going to start with the two clowns lets it cycle and over the months introduce that selection I chose from above but I will go over the inch per gallon and make sure unwanted changes lol

H

 

Just remember that the key to success is to go way slow over a period of 3 months to 6 months depending on your tank..

 

start with the two clowns lets it cycle and over the months introduce that selection

I assume you mean you'll add live stock after the tank cycles?

Where possible, try and get aquacultured (tank bred) clowns, it's kinder on our reefs.

As for cleanup crew; I don't know if you can get them in the US, but Cerith snails are a great addition for cleaning the sand bed (next on my list)

Turbos are great for algae - but be careful on size - they can be bull-dozers.

Also worth considering shrimp - Peppermints (L. vittata) are great for aiptasia control. Skunk (Red-lines) are also a great addition.

I also have a tropical abalone which does a great job.

Sea cucumbers also do a good job on the sand bed - but make sure your live rock is secure, they'll bury under the rocks and could cause an avalance.

Hermits can be a great addition - but may not be so great with corals. Are you planning on FOWLR or Reef?

For what it's worth - I would ditch the 3 stage filter, and go with Live Rock and a Protein Skimmer. Then consider your nutrient export method - refugium with macro algae, nitrate and phosphate reactors or carbon dosing (choose one, don't mix the three)

 

yeah man once its cycled but just start with the clowns and add the others over months. where do u get the cerith snails? I'm not in the US lol UK! Atm I'm going for FOWLR and convert to reef later on, I was planning on live rock as well with the filter or is the filter not needed? also have u got any reviews on the V2 skI'm 400 ?? cheers

H

 

I'm not familiar with the nassarius snail but the link claims that they do eat detritus. Is this just a misconception stang man?

 

yeah man once its cycled but just start with the clowns and add the others over months.

OK, just checking. Be sure to do your research and try to add your fish from least aggressive to most aggressive.
When choosing your fish, check the 'reef safe' status of the species. Some are known to nip corals, others will have a go at inverts (shrimp etc).
Also, it's advisable to add all your CUC prior to adding fish.

where do u get the cerith snails? I'm not in the US lol UK!

I don't know where you'd get them in the UK ??? Maybe have a chat to the people at London aquarium (next to the Eye) if you live near it, they had pretty knowlegable people there when I went last year.
Here in Aus they come straight off the GBR

Atm I'm going for FOWLR and convert to reef later on,

OK, so you probably need to consider what corals/anemones you are likely to keep. Most Saltwater fish will live for 10+ yrs if properly cared for. What you choose now may affect what you want to do later.

I was planning on live rock as well with the filter or is the filter not needed? also have u got any reviews on the V2 skI'm 400 ?? cheers

I'm no help on the V2 skI'm 400, but I would definitely scrap the filter. The live rock is your primary biological filter. Unlike FW, a Saltwater setup is a filter in itself, the LR is your bio media. Use a skimmer to reduce DOC's (Dissolved Organic Compounds), and choose a method for Nitrate/Phosphate reduction. In a FOWLR this may not be as important as a reef, where many corals are sensitive to NO3, PO4, Mg, Ca and Alk levels.

Hope that helps.

 

Sump or Refugium?? and much help ryan!

 

OK, so a sump is a 'tank' under your display tank and has many benefits, including a place to put heaters, skimmers, and other bits and pieces.

The refugium generally forms a section of your sump, and is typically has a Deep Sand Bed, and is used to grow macro algaes. e.g. my sump has 3 sections, I have a section with extra LR in it, a section for my skimmer, and a return section. Note: if you go with carbon dosing, or reactors, you don't necessarily need a 'fuge.

Do a youtube for LA Fish Guy - whilst I don't subscribe to many of his practices, his videos are very very informative, and really help to visualise what we're talking about.

 

macro algaes can be food to certain species aswel carnt it and il have a look at that vid!

 

I'm not familiar with the nassarius snail but the link claims that they do eat detritus. Is this just a misconception stang man?

Not sure where you got that info but after studying there behavior they do not and I have found that each one of the snails go back in the sand bed and wait for a proper feeding and I have seen them come out of the exact area that they enbedded themselves so this is indeed a fact. As I said they only eat meats that are provided and do nothing more than eat what ever dies in a reef and lands on around there area and eat that specimen at the time they smell and find the eatery.

 

I trust your facts you have been very informational for me on all of my posts I was just referring to the link that comes up when you click nassarius snails on here.

 

Detritus : is decomposing organic materials, but you can also think of it as fish waste or uneaten fish food that settles into or on the substrate (from: https://www.fishlore.com/fishdictionary/d.htm#detritus)

So yes, Nassa's will eat detritus in the sense of decomposing organics, but not fish waste as such

 

Hahaha never checked it out I spend all my time answering questions and solving problems there's no time for play!! Lol

 

I understand. Like I said I wasn't familiar with them so that's why I clicked the link but between you and Ryan I understand what you are talking about now.

 

That's very good that you do because they are not what some think that they are. They don't have any good to do with sturring the sand. And doing what some think that they do. All they do is sit waiting for the next piece to fall in there lap sort of speaking and have to wait sometimes until they die and poison the whole tank and you loose almost the whole tank. Just be advised and if you do choose to house this type of snail feed the thing almost every two to three days a piece of meat such as a silverside not a whole one but an 1/8 of it just to keep it happy and will live and not ruin your tank!!