Cleanup Crew

[KJones90s]

Wondering if my cleanup crew is sufficient for a 120 gal.
If not what what should I add???

 

[Tahoe61]

Bump for the larger tank group.

How old is the tank?

 

[flyline]

That’s a good question how old is the tank? If it’s not that old you might starve a clean up crew that big, and that might lead to other problems due to die off. Just something to think about.

 

[KJones90s]

It was up and running June 7th.
The entirety of the crew wasn’t in there from the beginning though.
Youcan see how long each critter has been in the tank.
It was just 3 turbos and a red hermit on the beginning.

 

[KJones90s]

The only things I know that I’ve lost for sure is 1 emerald, 1 turbo and 1 hermit.
I feed heavy since the tank is so new, just to make sure everything eats.

 

[Tahoe61]

The hermits and the crab seem fine. I would wait a little longer for more snails, since they are algae eaters.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I would personally not add any hermit crabs. They will likely kill other snails once they’re hungry. I would add some nassarius and two sifting stars.

 

[cmac330]

I personally consider peppermint shrimp part of my cleanup crew. Adding them early helps ensure that they have time to eat aptasia before they become large and unmanageable. They will also eat left over food the way that hermits do. Just my 2 cents.

To give the best answer about size of the cleanup crew I would answer these questions:
Age of tank
Amount of live rock
Filtration method
Current livestock
How much algae is currently in the tank photo would be immensely helpful)
What type of tank you are planning (mixed/softie/lps/sps, heavy or light fish load, any specific species you plan to have such as wrasse or decorative inverts that might eat or compete for resources)

 

[neiltus]

In a very established 70 my CUC is:

me
lawnmower blenny
2 eng goby
bella goby
3 cleaner shrimp
(note:above are often overlooked)

about 20 Florida cerith
about 30 nassarius
about 150 dwarf cerith

in sump
a sole hermit

 

[KJones90s]

I would personally not add any hermit crabs. They will likely kill other snails once they’re hungry. I would add some nassarius and two sifting stars.

There are plenty of empty shells to cut down on the aggression.
Wouldn’t a conch and a sand sifting star just be overkill? The conch touches literally every part of open sand.

 

[KJones90s]

I personally consider peppermint shrimp part of my cleanup crew. Adding them early helps ensure that they have time to eat aptasia before they become large and unmanageable. They will also eat left over food the way that hermits do. Just my 2 cents.

To give the best answer about size of the cleanup crew I would answer these questions:
Age of tank
Amount of live rock
Filtration method
Current livestock
How much algae is currently in the tank photo would be immensely helpful)
What type of tank you are planning (mixed/softie/lps/sps, heavy or light fish load, any specific species you plan to have such as wrasse or decorative inverts that might eat or compete for resources)

I’ve had peppermints before and they destroyed my hammer coral, picked at it relentlessly.
the tank has been up and running for 2 months now, theis about 80-100 pounds of live rock between the sump and the display.
only fish in the tank are two clowns.
I’ll send a photo of the tank when I get home from work this morning, there’s not a ton of algae, but I think enough to keep everything fat and fed.
plan for a heavy fishload 10-12 fish total.
mans I plan on keeping mostly lps with a few sps frags on high points in the tank.

 

[KJones90s]

In a very established 70 my CUC is:

me
lawnmower blenny
2 eng goby
bella goby
3 cleaner shrimp
(note:above are often overlooked)

about 20 Florida cerith
about 30 nassarius
about 150 dwarf cerith

in sump
a sole hermit

That’s a lot of snails
Has me thinking I still have some buying to do.

 

[KJones90s]

For filtration I run a dump with a reef octopus int-200. There is a refugium with no macro algae currently, just live rock as nutrients are still too low to introduce chaeto.
I also run a brs carbon and gfo dual media reactor.
the only other filtration I have in the tank is live rock and tank maintenance.

 

[cmac330]

I like peppermints for aptasia control and have not heard of them hurting euphyllia but I can understand the hesitation.
Early on I add roughly 1 snail and 1 hermit per 10 pounds of rock and continue adding snails as algae starts growing. I don’t like having too many hermits as I don’t have hair algae issues and I feel they are destructive but they are a cheap means of eating left over food. If you aren’t planning on adding shrimp maybe a few extra hermits.
2 emerald crabs should be sufficient, I try to add them before bubble algae enters the tank so it never gets the chance to take off.
If not adding peppermint shrimp, I would make sure to have a plan for how to deal with aptasia.

 

[KJones90s]

I like peppermints for aptasia control and have not heard of them hurting euphyllia but I can understand the hesitation.
Early on I add roughly 1 snail and 1 hermit per 10 pounds of rock and continue adding snails as algae starts growing. I don’t like having too many hermits as I don’t have hair algae issues and I feel they are destructive but they are a cheap means of eating left over food. If you aren’t planning on adding shrimp maybe a few extra hermits.
2 emerald crabs should be sufficient, I try to add them before bubble algae enters the tank so it never gets the chance to take off.
If not adding peppermint shrimp, I would make sure to have a plan for how to deal with aptasia.

Maybe I’ll give them a shot, I’ll be ticked if they eat this hammer I have though.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

There are plenty of empty shells to cut down on the aggression.
Wouldn’t a conch and a sand sifting star just be overkill? The conch touches literally every part of open sand.

Conch helps, I got a few

 

[New&no clue]

Maybe I’ll give them a shot, I’ll be ticked if they eat this hammer I have though.

I would suggest getting peppermints from A good place such as aqua corals or algae barn.

I have a 75 gallon and a huge CUC, but mostly because I really enjoy them. I have the following
2 fighting conch
1 tiger conch
1 pincushion urchin
2 turbo snails
200+ dwarf cerith (yes I counted them once) I didn't buy that many they just keep having babies.
30-40 nassarius those also keep having babies.
10 Astraea Snails
10 Nerite Snail
3 cucumbers
10-15 Red/Blue/Striped hermit crabs
2 emerald crabs
2 Cleaner Shrimp
5 Peppermint Shrimp

My tank has been up a year and I have slowly added these in.

 

[KJones90s]

I would suggest getting peppermints from A good place such as aqua corals or algae barn.

I have a 75 gallon and a huge CUC, but mostly because I really enjoy them. I have the following
2 fighting conch
1 tiger conch
1 pincushion urchin
2 turbo snails
200+ dwarf cerith (yes I counted them once) I didn't buy that many they just keep having babies.
30-40 nassarius those also keep having babies.
10 Astraea Snails
10 Nerite Snail
3 cucumbers
10-15 Red/Blue/Striped hermit crabs
2 emerald crabs
2 Cleaner Shrimp
5 Peppermint Shrimp

My tank has been up a year and I have slowly added these in.

Wow!!!
How long has your tank been set up for?
must beautiful by the way.

 

[neiltus]

That’s a lot of snails
Has me thinking I still have some buying to do.

look at what snails and crabs and shrimp are NOT in the display

 

[New&no clue]

How long has your tank been set up for?

Just about a year