New tank clean up crew

Carl Rosleck · May 15, 2017

Good morning,

I have been looking thru a lot of threads about adding clean up crews to a new tank and I just want to make use I am doing the right thing. I have a 32 gallon Cora-life bio-cube. I an waiting for it to cycle but I was looking for information on what and when to add my first clean up crew. Do I do so after a full month cycle first? Should I wait for algae to form first? I have seen a variety of comments on different boards on the subject. Would something like the following be a good idea? https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/quick-crew-w-hermits-30-gallon
I see some comments saying more and less assorted snails and crab so I am not sure what would be a good idea. What is the right amount of a mix of clean up crew for me? Are on-line stores a good place to order them or should I go to a local place?
Thanks in advance for the comments.

Reef2zach · May 15, 2017

For a small cuc like your going to need I'd personally go pick them up at the store. Wait till your levels drop down and your algea boom starts to die off. Then I'd add an assortment of snails and a couple hermits. Good luck!

cloak · May 15, 2017

For that size tank you might want to start off with 3-5 Trochus snails and maybe one Scarlet hermit crab. Assuming your using RO/DI water and your husbandry is up to par you really shouldn't have to add much more than that IMO. Your the best CUC member that tank will ever see just as long as your willing to do the work. GL.

wilecyote007 · May 15, 2017

Hey carl! I am a novice in the hobby. I just want to share my start up. 75 gal started with 20 lbs live rock 20lbs live sand 20lbs live crushed coral. I ran cycle for 4 weeks and never had ammonia spike(due to live rock and sand i suppose). Cycle never stops just continues to cycle bad bacteria. I added clean up crew on week 5ish(10 hermit 10 turbo snails). Sand had browning. Then added a clown week and blenny week 6. Blenny died. Added purple dotty and 2 fire fish and fire shrimp. week 10 purple died. I never have more than 0 anything...nitrate ammonia. Due to low bio load i suppose. Never had algae yet either. Not sure if this helps