New tank cleaners

[Giancarlo_Flex]

So Ive had my tabk for around 2 months with my live stock, only have 2 clowns, 1 gamma, and 1 cleaner shrimp. My tank is looking dirty due to the detritus thats been there for 3 weeks. What addition should I add to clean my tank further?

 

[Katrina71]

Do you have a clean up crew?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

That looks like normal "uglies" to me. Your rock is not going to stay white. Your sand will also not be pristine... You can expect things to get worse (looking) before they get better. Diatoms, gha, possibly cyano and dinos - they all are/will be taking advantage of the empty real estate (rock and sand) and it may be a while before they find a balance.
The good news is, by letting your tank mature and go through the "algae cycle", it will end up more stable and biodiverse.

Patience...

 

[Giancarlo_Flex]

Do you have a clean up crew?

Just a cleaner shrimp

 

[Giancarlo_Flex]

That looks like normal "uglies" to me. Your rock is not going to stay white. Your sand will also not be pristine... You can expect things to get worse (looking) before they get better. Diatoms, gha, possibly cyano and dinos - they all are/will be taking advantage of the empty real estate (rock and sand) and it may be a while before they find a balance.
The good news is, by letting your tank mature and go through the "algae cycle", it will end up more stable and biodiverse.

Patience...

Oh ok thank you so much. Just thought it would be better to have some kind of snail/goby/hermit that would eat/clean that

 

[BOYERZ]

This is the start of the uglies.

Add snails, all of them.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Oh ok thank you so much. Just thought it would be better to have some kind of snail/goby/hermit that would eat/clean that

You absolutely need to start adding a clean up crew.

 

[PotatoPig]

Oh ok thank you so much. Just thought it would be better to have some kind of snail/goby/hermit that would eat/clean that

You should get some snails, especially if you have lights on the tank that’ll grow corals.

Barring very large water changes the only realistic way nitrates leave your water is via absorption into either coral or algae, and if you have reef lights on the tank the algae can and will use them.

As you add more fish the production of nutrients will increase, and so will the flora in the tank.

A diverse pack of snails will keep it in check. Hermits too, to an extent, and they’re kinda neat to see the different varieties, but snails are the easy and safe route. And a conch one your tank matures a bit more. It’ll keep your sand stirred up and cleaner.

Depending on your planned bioload you can expect to be able to stock approximately one snail per gallon in the DT.

 

[JNalley]

Go to www.reefcleaners.org go to their tank packages, pick a package that is suited for your tank and acceptable for your perceived future livestock.

 

[BOYERZ]

Get some stomatellas if you can, I've only had them through live rock though.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You absolutely need to start adding a clean up crew.

*NOT from Reef Cleaners!

 

[JNalley]

*NOT from Reef Cleaners!

lol, what's your problem with reefcleaners?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

lol, what's your problem with reefcleaners?

Lol, he sent me carnivorous whelks twice and cursed me out when I tried to let him know about it.
Lol.

 

[JNalley]

Lol, he sent me carnivorous whelks twice and cursed me out when I tried to let him know about it.
Lol.

Sorry to hear that, I've had nothing but exceptional service with them personally. 6 tanks all setup with various packages from them... Never had any issues

 

[Peair]

So Ive had my tabk for around 2 months with my live stock, only have 2 clowns, 1 gamma, and 1 cleaner shrimp. My tank is looking dirty due to the detritus thats been there for 3 weeks. What addition should I add to clean my tank further?

Everybody has gotten that, try snails and hermit crabs, lower light, get all parameters in range especially phosphate, and run silicate remover in a tumbler or reactor.

 

[kevgib67]

I would include copepods for your cleanup crew. I’ll try to give you some specifics. For your rock: Mexican Turbo snails, trocus snails, stomatellas , ceriths, ninja star snails, and dwarf red and blue legged hermits. For your sand: nassarius snails and a tiger conch. Best overall alge eater, tuxedo urchin. That being said, throwing all of them in right now they would starve. Add them slowly as the need arises ( it will). I would start right now with copepods.

 

[CKW]

You absolutely need to start adding a clean up crew.

Absolutely! Snails, crabs, cleaner shrimp etc.
you will be surprised to see what they can do.

 

[Giancarlo_Flex]

You absolutely need to start adding a clean up crew.

Like what?

 

[Katrina71]

I like to pick a mix of snails and blue legged hermit crabs to start.

 

[twentyleagues]

Imo cleaner shrimp are pretty useless as cleaners of anything. They are called that because they pick parasites off fish. Unless you are planning on putting fish in your tank which are known to have parasites they wont be cleaning anything. They are cool, pretty and ornamental in every aspect. Oh they will grab uneaten fish food.

Snails are going to make up the majority of your cuc. Trocus, nassarius snails if there is enough uneaten food bits they are carnivores for the most part, turbo snails, cerith snails, conch if a deep enough and large enough sand bed, I also agree if you can find stomatella snails they are great, Micro brittle stars if you have enough left over food and same for bristle worms, I dont do crabs they typically cause as much or more issues then they control.