clean up question and advice needed

rhinokio · 03-29-2008, 02:44 PM

i'm checking to see if i have enough clean up crew in my 14 gal bio. i used the calc at reefcleaners.org http://reefcleaners.org/index.php?op...d=20&Itemid=33 and came up with a list. (its at home so can't give specs now)

the thing is the calculating system there asumed i had no clean up crew currently.

the site breaks down by
deitrus
noxious bloom
rock
substrate
middle tank
top tank

i have a couple of cleaners that they offer so its easy to see from their site what these will clean

but i also have 8 hermits. what section of cleaning would they cover?
and 3 trochias snails,
and 2 turbo snails.
i don't want to over populate so where would these cleaners go in reefcleaners.coms system

dobejazz · 03-29-2008, 08:47 PM

wow that seems kinda complicated

I just kind of add as needed

rhinokio · 03-29-2008, 08:49 PM

come on fellas helps me out with some infos

i'm suggesting the crabs would be middle tanks?
and trochas and turbos middle or rock?

Hop · 03-29-2008, 08:55 PM

You are the best clean up crew

I run a few different snails and a few different hermit crabs. I started with astrea and cerith snails and went from there.

I think the calculators are WAY over rated for cleanup crews!

Jnicho · 03-29-2008, 09:00 PM

I read that site one time...by the time I was half way through the "calc" my head was spinning (add 3 of this level, but now take away 1 of this, but add 2 back for this) LOL. I know they were trying to come up with a calc that would cover "all" tanks, but it just got to involved IMO.

Beyond that I don't know how to answer your question...for instance my hermits are all over the place, on the sand, on the rock, on top of corals (hey got off there, do you have any idea what I paid for that!).

Seriously for a small tank like a 14G cube I would just pick up a couple of this or that at the LFS as needed...We have a 12G cube in our house and it only has 4 astrea snails in it and maybe 2 little blue leg hermits. I think the list of what you have already is plenty for a small tank. Do you have a specific algae bloom or anything you are trying to deal with, or is this just general knowledge?

Loverotties · 03-29-2008, 09:34 PM

looks good enough!

johnmaloney · 04-11-2008, 07:31 AM

It is pretty complicated, works great for us though. You could have just asked me by the way.

Crabs would be rocks. We don't give long term credit to them though, because they will kill snails and reduce your clean up crews effectiveness in the long run. In the short run though blue legs are 1, scarlets and thin stripes are worth 2, large thin stripes get a 3. All go to hair algae control, none to other kinds of problems.

Trochus and Turbos get mid tank- trochus get 2 in that formula, real turbos (turbo fluctuosa), get 5, astrea tecta "turbos" get 2 in that formula.

Let me know if you have any other questions, always glad to help.

Fly Guy · 04-11-2008, 02:45 PM

That calculator is kinda silly IMO. Someone went to great trouble and there is surely more thought into it than most who just say get XXX per gallon........but

Let algae be your guide.

Toomany people get too many CUC and they play this viscious cycle of they starve and die, they rot, cause issues, you buy more to take care of these isuues....repeat

tht cycle is inevitable to some extent as it is......

Kevin1000 · 04-11-2008, 03:09 PM

For what its worth I would not bother to bookmark that site ... alot of BS to put a scientific spin on selling some livestock they specialize in. Sometimes common sense is better than a calculator ... small diversified CUC to start .. then slowly add as necessary.

tennisstar28 · 04-11-2008, 04:00 PM

I just added as needed. I have a 55 gallon and only started out with 2 mexican turbo snails then I noticed they could not keep up with the cleaning so I added 6 more and a norange spotted goby for the sand. This is a great little guy, I always come home from work and the sand is sparkling white.