Large cleanup crews in SPS tank?

[Alex T.]

How many of you with SPS tanks have the "recommended" cleanup crew in the amounts that online retailers are selling? I couldn't imagine having the amount of crabs and snails that they are saying is essential.

 

[jerpa]

Those numbers are ridiculous for any kind of tank IMO. I subscribe to the belief that you add CUC until you don't see the need to add anymore. If you add as many as they recommend you'll end up with the same number eventually anyway. I just upgraded from a 29 to a 120 4 months ago and I haven't added anything yet. 2 Nassarius Snails, 1 Astrea snail, 2 Cerith snails. The rock is clean, the sand is clean, I clean the glass.

 

[Msleckro]

I agree. Those numbers are out of control.. Just added them as needed.

 

[Pallobi]

i have an 80g display... i have 14 good size turbo snails...

that said, i never agree with the silly packs in regards to the amounts they say to use, or they put together...

 

[reefsurfing]

In the quantities advertised my CUC would most likely have to start eating each other to survive. Just make sure you have crew for both sand and glass and .you shouldn't have an issue

 

[benchland]

i'm with jerpa, start slowly, youll see the cuc doing their job. if you start seeing algae you need to add some more. for what its with i stick with astrea's, ceriths, and nassarius snails, turbos were too clumsy for me.

 

[Alex T.]

I like the Nassarius snails and even some dwarf blue legged hermits but was thinking of a fighting conch or two. Any thoughts on those? I would say I have about 30% of the sandbed covered with rock so they'll definitely have sand to sift.

 

[MechEng99]

Don't go with the recommended CUC - such a waste. I try to go the more "natural" route with a CUC that reproduces as much as possible. That way, if I get an algae bloom, they'll reproduce more to handle it. Their population dwindles as the food supply dwindles too.

I go with the Collumbellid snails (commonly called Hawaiian strombus), collonista snails (hitchhikers that don't grow very large), stomatella snails (hitchhikers), ceriths, and asterina starfish (except in the tank with my harlequin shrimp.)

Nerites are great for cleaning glass, they're pretty hardy, but I only know one person who got them to reproduce. I keep a few around...as well as the occasional hermit crab.