Advice from the experts.

[reefertanker]

I’d like to know if my tank is okay, over populated, or under population when I comes to CUC. I have a 29 gal and a 10 gal refugium. Currently I have 1 turbo snail, 1 pencil urchin, 7 hermits, and 2 emerald crabs. I’ve added nirite snails but they die shortly after adding does this mean my CUC is full?

 

[ScottR]

Welcome to REEF2REEF!!! Do you have pics and more info about your system? Age and parameters? It is a large clean up crew if not truly needed. 7 hermits is a lot IMO.

 

[nanonøkk]

yea it definitely depends on your tank and how much waste is being added mines a 20 gal with 80-90 snails in it now

 

[reefertanker]

Welcome to REEF2REEF!!! Do you have pics and more info about your system? Age and parameters? It is a large clean up crew if not truly needed. 7 hermits is a lot IMO.

Yes my tank is new obviously for the silly question lol it’s roughly 6months old.
I never knew when to stop so I’m asking experts lol

Pr
Cal: 500
Ph 8
Salinity 1.026
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm
Ammonia 0
Carbon hardness 10
Phospa

 

[reefertanker]

yea it definitely depends on your tank and how much waste is being added mines a 20 gal with 80-90 snails in it now

I have 2 fire fish and a clown fish

 

[fachatga]

It’s really hard to say just using tank size and numbers because so much more variables matter like size and amount of food available. You really just need to watch out for how much they have to eat and how clean the tank is. If regular algae growth overwhelms thebCUC you need more. Otherwise if you have a few too many you might just see a few deaths from lack of food and it will even itself out. Your snails might be getting eaten by the Hermits. Also watch out that the urchin eats coralline algae. If you’ve got a newish tank that might not be the right CUC member. Just watch out for it.

 

[Paul B]

Remember CUC creatures are livestock and not vacuum cleaners. They are also very over rated especially in a brand new tank where they will starve

 

[CMMorgan]

Hey @reefertanker .... everything is relative. It depends on what the crew is cleaning up after. According to Reefcleaners.com, you could have a much bigger crew than that. (See below) Truth is that it all depends on what else is in your tank, how many fish, how often you feed? You don't need a full time crew for an empty stadium but you go into OT after the big game. You also have some heavy hitters on there... that urchin can eat quite a bit.
Is it only the snails that are dying off? Nothing else?
This is an older article from @LionfishLair that may give you a better picture on the different players for a CUC. Good read!
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.107/

 

[nanonøkk]

I have 2 fire fish and a clown fish

how much do you feed the tank throughout the week and that sounds like a decent bio load for a clean up crew

 

[reefertanker]

It’s really hard to say just using tank size and numbers because so much more variables matter like size and amount of food available. You really just need to watch out for how much they have to eat and how clean the tank is. If regular algae growth overwhelms thebCUC you need more. Otherwise if you have a few too many you might just see a few deaths from lack of food and it will even itself out. Your snails might be getting eaten by the Hermits. Also watch out that the urchin eats coralline algae. If you’ve got a newish tank that might not be the right CUC member. Just watch out for it.

I didn’t know pencils ate coralline algae. That is unfortunate.

Hey @reefertanker .... everything is relative. It depends on what the crew is cleaning up after. According to Reefcleaners.com, you could have a much bigger crew than that. (See below) Truth is that it all depends on what else is in your tank, how many fish, how often you feed? You don't need a full time crew for an empty stadium but you go into OT after the big game. You also have some heavy hitters on there... that urchin can eat quite a bit.
Is it only the snails that are dying off? Nothing else?
This is an older article from @LionfishLair that may give you a better picture on the different players for a CUC. Good read!
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.107/

I’ve seen copepods and bristleworms in my tank and also I went threw the cyano stage and nothing ate that. Now I am pasted all that and I feed garlic fish flakes everyday and every two days I feed them carnivore cuisine little meat cube.

 

[reefertanker]

how much do you feed the tank throughout the week and that sounds like a decent bio load for a clean up crew

I feed fish flakes everyday just a pinch and every two day a meat cube

 

[nanonøkk]

I feed fish flakes everyday just a pinch and every two day a meat cube

ok that sounds like a good feeding schedule and it looks to me like your feeding enough maybe this might be a shot in the dark but you could try and add another fish or something for more of a bio load

 

[reefertanker]

ok that sounds like a good feeding schedule and it looks to me like your feeding enough maybe this might be a shot in the dark but you could try and add another fish or something for more of a bio load

I had 2 clowns and 2 fire fish and a cleaner shrimp. Unfortunately 1 clown died and same with a shrimp. I’m about a mouth I plan to add another clown

 

[nanonøkk]

I had 2 clowns and 2 fire fish and a cleaner shrimp. Unfortunately 1 clown died and same with a shrimp. I’m about a mouth I plan to add another clown

ok and i’m sorry for your losses and that sounds like a good plan and that should help good luck with everything

 

[BaysEndReef]

Welcome to R2R!! Always here to help!!

 

[Jeffcb]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[MERKEY]

Hello and welcome to R2R!

 

[Rmckoy]

Welcome ...


for clean up , if the system is still very new , that’s a lot .
the hermits are savage and will kill anything for food .
They also require shells as they grow , and what better place other than the snail .

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R