cleanup crew

[Ross]

I have my tank with 2 percs for a little over a week now. I have some diatoms and am starting to get some detirus. I am about to add a cleanup crew and want to want to know what you guys think.
15-nasirius
20-turbo/astrea
15-cerith
20-scarlet hermits
Is this a good amount. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Will the hermits kill the snails? Oh yeah it is 84gallons with 75lbs lr and a 2.5in sand bed.[/url]

[captexas]

Ross -
First off, do you mean the tank has only been up and running 2 weeks or you have had the clownfish 2 weeks? Please tell us this is correct and you cycled your tank properly first?!
Second, the normal setup process would be to add the cleanup crew first and then after a couple of weeks when the tanks parameters level off you add a fish or two.

As far as your selection goes, it is a good start. Yes hermit crabs will kill a few snails as they grow and need new shells for homes, but they are good to have as they are excellent scavengers. Along with the cleanup crew, you should do regular water changes to help with the excess nutrients that are causing the problems.

[Ross]

I have had the percs for 2 weeks. I set up a 55g and had it going for a couple months with no fish because i was building a stand for my 84g. When i upgraded it didn't even minicycle. Don't worry theres no ammonia or nitrites.

[robertpower3]

I like the blue legs better. They are smaller and I have heard bad things about the scarlets eating polyps.

[Bigreefer]

Blue legs are bad about eating snails. I'd add a serpant star or two to eat deterius.

Jason

[phage]

I've had no crabs of any type in my tank for over a year now, and its all the better for it. Nassarius and brittle stars (not to mention bristle worms)are just as good of scavengers and they don't kill fish, eat corals, or decimate your sand bed fauna. But, to each his own. If anything, I'd say that is a few too many clean up critters, some will starve and you'll end up with less than that.

[Ross]

Thanks guys
I guess i will not get as many as i said. I don't have to worry about the scarlets eating polyps because my tank is fowlr. Don't you have to have a well established tank and very good water conditions for a serpant or brittle star?

[Ross]

The regular serpant star isn't very cool looking so could i get a red serpant star?

[Ross]

Sorry to keep asking dumb questions but if i got just 1 red serpant star would i need any hermits? Maybe just a few? Thanks for the help.