Creating a Clean Up Crew

[Jisko]

I'm working on setting up a clean up crew for my 30g setup, 20g with 10g sump. I have a huge problem with diatoms and my sand is currently turning a grey/black color. The sump is brand new and it will be finished this week. At this time I have around 12 snails, 3 big Nassarius, 6 small Nassarius, and 3 Cerith snails. I also have 1 clarkii clownfish, 1 diamond goby, and a little blue damsel. I hope that by adding some extra help with the clean up crew and finishing the sump will allow for a lot more water circulation and flow in the tank. I also added a 2nd powerhead to stir the water a bit more.

i'm currently looking at getting:

• 25 Nassarius Snails
• 10 Cerith Snails
• 5 Astrea Snails
• 17 Nerite Snails

Ordering from: aquariumdepot.com

Would this be a good idea? or does anyone have any ideas or tips for me at this point. I've added to photos below to show the state of the tank

 

[Jisko]

any help?

 

[Bozoman]

I think if you divide those numbers by 5 you are closer to where you want to end up. Build the CUC slowly or you will starve them and they will die.

EDIT: I would start with 2 Nassarius and 1 Trochus, maybe 1 Astrea, 2-3 Cerith and maybe get 3 small hermits like the blue legs (C.tricolor)

 

[jwhann6]

yeah, i agree with @Bozoman, you have a lot for them to take care of now, but once its consumed there is unlikely to be enough algae to keep that many snails alive.

Maybe go with like 5, 3, 2, 5 of what you have listed above respectively.

 

[Jisko]

I've had this problem for around a month now and it seems to just be getting worse. This is the reason that I've been looking into setting up a little bit bigger CUC.

Any suggestions on something like this?

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/quick-crew-15-gallon

or

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/quick-crew-10-hexagon


Thank you for the feedback

 

[kashman100]

I would add 5 cerith and 5 astrea and go from there depending on the snails size. Ceriths help with sand bed and astrea are great for rocks. Just make sure you watch the astrea they can't flip themselves over when they fall

 

[Bozoman]

It is a normal part of starting up a tank. Patience is key here. If you get a big CUC they will starve, then die, and you will get more algae. I missed that you have 12 snails already, its late here. Don't get any more Nassarius snails. Really don't need any more ceriths either. Be patient and be mindful of the amount of food you feed the fish and it will get better. A Trochus snail is the king of snails when it comes to consuming algae quickly. Small hermits like the C. tricolor are as safe as any crab will be and they eat a wide variety of food.

 

[Jisko]

I had a crab but he began to eat my snails. I started with 15 snails and I recently added 8 more because the crab would sit by the snail for days. Then he would eat the snail and leave the shell. Sadly I had to get rid of him because it was costing me $3 a shot for snails at my LFS :[

I think i'll hold off on the snails and if it doesn't clear up a bit in a week or so I'll grab few turbo snails and some Cerith snails from my LFS

Thank you for the feedback everyone

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

red banded trochus for glass and nassarius for sand. maybe a few small blue leg hermits as well. I only like snails that can right themselves if they get knocked over.

 

[Sm51498]

I think your tank looks fine. Just a new tank is all. Keep your parameters in line and maybe cut your photo period some for now. I wouldn't sweat a cuc much, you have plenty of snails.

 

[Daniel Morales]

I just have 1 red leg hermit as my cleanup crew have had him for like 6 months so far.My tank gets a little diatom on the glass ocassionally.I think its more of a water flow thing or lighting.

 

[Jisko]

I just have 1 red leg hermit as my cleanup crew have had him for like 6 months so far.My tank gets a little diatom on the glass ocassionally.I think its more of a water flow thing or lighting.

Yeah I built a sump this weekend so I'm hopping that by having the extra flow it will help out a lot. I also added a 2nd powerhead and I noticed a difference in just a few hours, I havent seen my kenya tree this happy in months. I just hope I can get this thing turned around and looking good again. Also I hope that by having the sump the water will clear up... that Goby loves making a mess -.-

I'm off at college now so my parents watch/feed the tank when I'm not home. This kind of turned out to be a good thing because now they're hooked haha

 

[Daniel Morales]

Yeah I built a sump this weekend so I'm hopping that by having the extra flow it will help out a lot. I also added a 2nd powerhead and I noticed a difference in just a few hours, I havent seen my kenya tree this happy in months. I just hope I can get this thing turned around and looking good again. Also I hope that by having the sump the water will clear up... that Goby loves making a mess -.-

I'm off at college now so my parents watch/feed the tank when I'm not home. This kind of turned out to be a good thing because now they're hooked haha

Cool Stuff.

 

[Jisko]

So little update... My Goby jumped out of the tank last night so when I woke up he was laying stiff as a rock on the floor. Would it be a good idea to pick up a few more snails to try and make up for the loss? If so does anyone have any suggestions on which snails to go for?

I was gonna see about getting 2 Nassarius Snails, 2 Cerith Snails, 2 Astrea Snails, and 2 Nerite Snails. I would love another Goby but I'd have to rig some kind of lid which I really just don't have time for as I'm leaving tomorrow to head back to college. My main focus is to get some CUC going so the diatoms are not overloading my current CUC causing the problem to get worse.


feedback is much appreciated! Thank you

 

[DracoKat]

Just in case if anyone is interested... reefcleaners has 20% off. Code is MATTHEW

 

[Bozoman]

Sorry for your loss. Though in such a new tank, even a tank that size, it was highly unlikely that it would have survived long term. Sand sifting gobies primarily eat the life found in the sand bed and can decimate the population in a well established tank that size. From a clean up perspective you haven't lost much. In fact the life the goby was eating will be far more beneficial in keeping your sand clean and nutrients low. If you want something that cleans the top of the sand and live rock, hermit crabs and algae eating snails are the way to go.