Astrea snails

[NaCl_H2O]

Good luck, and by all means post pics of the 75 as you get it going.

Keep asking questions, that's why you joined MAAST

[NaCl_H2O]

A lot of us, me included, started off with a tank that was not well designed for the what we were trying to do with it.

I think Gary's wife called it "THE DEATH ZONE"

[garagebrian]

Hey all,

I think everyone has covered how to help the tank recover very well. Good luck on the 75RR, I am running a 75RR and love the size and aquascaping over the 55.

I want to add just a little bit on the cleanup crew options for long term maintenance. I would avoid the sand sifting sea star, it will starve in a 55 or 75 gallon tank. They shouldn't be kept in less than a 120 and probably not even kept at all. How do I know? I starved mine in my 55 7 years ago and then read up on them.

I would avoid all astrea or "turbo" snails and margarita snails unless you know they come from warm water. Most are cold water species and slowly die in our tanks. A LFS employee telling you he/she is SURE they come from warm water doesn't count Astreas from Florida are usually pretty good.

The problem with advice on snails is that each species has somewhat different dietary requirements. So while a "nerite snail will feed on filamentous and film-forming cyanobacteria, and filamentous green algae" - other snails may prefer not to (the full article on nerites by j. sprung is linked below ).

Dr Ron has some good articles:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rs/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.php

Nassarius Snails for cleaning up excess food:
http://web.archive.org/web/200104100...p;RecordNo=166

Nerite Snails:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...003/invert.htm

Lots of info huh?

Basically:
Best:
Stomatella
Collonista
Trochus (warm water species)
Cerith
Nerite

OK:
Astrea (warm water species only)
Nassarius (only good at cleaning up excess food, you don't need too many)

Bad:
cold water Astrea
margarita
big turbos (knock over corals and even rocks)
sand sifting sea stars
Bumblebee snails (predator on some clams and snails, won't help with algae at all)

Feel free to ask any questions. I've also heard that hermits will eventually kill a DSB, snails, irritate corals, etc. I'm not fully convinced of this, but I only have a couple in my sump now. With the wide range of good snails above, I'm going to try no hermits.

B.