My new Aquarium

[Gary Ellis]

What do you all suggest for a cleaning crew? I have the Max E-260.

 

[Mikedawg]

What do you all suggest for a cleaning crew? I have the Max E-260.

I have the same tank and have three blue legged hermits, a large red brittle star and many striped hitchhiker brittles, some ninja star snails, a couple of nasarrius snails and four turbo/turban stars. I tried to get CUC members based on function (what they clean up and where they regularly do it) and their uniqueness/attractiveness.
And, best for last - fighting conch who eats all that algae that grows right above the sand that my magnet doesn't always reach!
I've had tuxedo and rose urchins and they are good members of your crew as long as everything is encrusted or glued down.
I have never followed a formula as to how many or what types; I just get what I like and make sure that they have enough to eat and do the job I need done - pretty simple really.

 

[tdileo]

Thats a 69 gallon tank. I’d do something along the line of 5 turbo snails, 10 nassarius snails, 10 trochus, 10 astrea, 5 blue leg hermits, a cleaner shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, and 2 emerald crabs. Some people don’t like crabs and peppermints so they can be swapped for snails, but I do like the extra variety they give for naturally countering aiptasia and bubble algae as well as occupying a slightly different niche from most snails.

 

[Gary Ellis]

WOW I didn't realize I needed so many!

 

[Mikedawg]

WOW I didn't realize I needed so many!

Really depends on tank conditions, e.g. how much and what kind of algae do you have?, are you okay with some algae? do you feed heavy versus feed a small amount? etc. In sizing your CUC don't buy a lot at once, like much in this hobby go slow and see how the crew does - do you like the way your tank looks and are water parameters good?. Hard to make a mistake except if you have too many and they starve - main reason I'm against formulas.

 

[Gary Ellis]

I have the same tank and have three blue legged hermits, a large red brittle star and many striped hitchhiker brittles, some ninja star snails, a couple of nasarrius snails and four turbo/turban stars. I tried to get CUC members based on function (what they clean up and where they regularly do it) and their uniqueness/attractiveness.
And, best for last - fighting conch who eats all that algae that grows right above the sand that my magnet doesn't always reach!
I've had tuxedo and rose urchins and they are good members of your crew as long as everything is encrusted or glued down.
I have never followed a formula as to how many or what types; I just get what I like and make sure that they have enough to eat and do the job I need done - pretty simple really.

Off subject but do you keep your pumps on full?

 

[Mikedawg]

I make sure the flow adjustment knobs on the front of the Sicce return pumps are fully turned to + and, btw, I use the random flow generators by Vivid Creative Aquatics, they really work well.

 

[Gary Ellis]

Can you explain what the random flow generators do and how they work? What size do I need? I see what they do. I will call the company and find out what I need. Thanks

 

[Mikedawg]

picture better than words: Laminar, or straight parallel line flow, doesn't mimic reef conditions very well and your corals won't benefit as much from water turnover; RFG provides more natural conditions

 

[Gary Ellis]

I ordered the 1/2 inch. I hope that the right size.