Are my cuc doing their job?

[MikeLipyeat]

Thanks. Im goin to wait till cycled to add any more though dont u think?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yup, I agree.

 

[MikeLipyeat]

So what kinds of fish do u all recommend for keeping clean

 

[Reefing Madness]

I don't pick fish to do that, I'd rather let the CUC do it, thats what we put em in the tank for. On the other hand, if the system is big enough, most Tangs do a good job of picking at the rock all day.

 

[mcarroll]

So what kinds of fish do u all recommend for keeping clean

That's supposed to be your job! ;-) if you need fish or inverts to help, then they are technically cleaning up after you.

In seriousness, for a tank that small there really aren't any "cleaner fish" (except a few that actually clean other fish). With some exceptions that people have noted in the thread, that's more of a thing in freshwater systems.

Your good husbandry, combined with live rock and a skimmer really should be all it takes to keep your animals happy if you want to keep it simple. (There's always something extra to add if "simple" is not a priority.)

-Matt

 

[KoleTang]

Give it a few days. If you are really worried about it add a reactor. If you could add any fish I would add a diamond goby to clean up the sand.

And what reactor are referring to that supposedly removes ammonia?

 

[Lazys Coral House]

Nothing is going to eat fish poop except Bacteria. We don't typically notice it in established tanks because the bacteria consumes it so fast. The result is nutrients in water which algae feeds on. The CUC will eat the algae. If you are noticing fish poo then I would suspect that it is a new system that doesn't yet have the quantity of established bacteria it will have in the future

 

[shse666]

I wouldn't toss one in a brand new tank, but my black cucumber is a serious CUC boss. He is 2 years old and while it looks like a sea poop, he is a monster cleaner.
I think it out performs anything else. Nothing but clean sand left in it's wake. He has cleaned 4 tanks now and lives in my softie 90 reef.

 

[MikeLipyeat]

Thats good to know
Dnt think my other half wants one though as she thinks they look like big turds lol... got some convincing to do

 

[Reefing Madness]

Heres something she might like:
Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Reef Aquariums: Sea Hare Sea Slug

 

[MikeLipyeat]

Wow hes awesome!!!!!!!!:beer::beer::beer:

 

[mcarroll]

Note the expertise level, dietary requirements and chemical warnings on that link.

FWIW, I don't disagree with them...as cool as Sea Hares are (at an adult size of 1 foot long!), they are very inappropriate for clean-up on a tank this size and unsuitable for a beginner.

Maybe the biggest problem is that they have an appetite that rivals even your Turbo Snails. Starvation would be likely. (If keeping a Sea Hare were your goal, you could probably keep one alive, but it would have to be a pet unto itself. Keeping him fed would be challenging and there's always a risk he could "go off" in your tank. Good thread on them, just for example.)

Something to look forward to, and perhaps even something worth upgrading for if you really love em though!

-Matt

P.S. Now if you could find someone who would loan you theirs, it could be worth the risk for a short time.....not the way I'd go, however.

 

[mallorieGgator]

I wouldn't add anything else at the moment during the cycle. Even the CUC makes waste so you'll be contributing to ammonia. I would maybe add an extra, small, powerhead to move water around the bottom of the tank. Once your cycle is finished and ammonia, and nitrite are at zero, then add some nassarius and cerith snails for your sand bed. I would avoid crabs because they tend to pick at soft corals when there is no algae left for them to eat.