New 90 gallon help

[rburch203]

Setting up a new 90 gallon tank, hoping to have water in it within a week or two with completely dry rock (will be receiving a few gallons of established water and scrapings to seed the rock.) so I have 2 questions for you all.

1) whats a good starting CUC reef safe (wife likes starfish, and shrimp)

2) still figuring up how I would like to stock the tank. I need to get "nemo" for my son but still undecided from there on.

Thanks!
Scott

 

[BillNye]

From my experience and what I've been told, starfish don't last too long. Tried a blue and orange linkia but they didn't make it long. However, after my tank had been established for around a year, I threw in a sand sifting starfish and it's going great!

I'd get some hermits and a couple shrimp. Emerald crabs are cool. I'd avoid snails as they tend to knock things over, although a few do a great job at cleaning the glass and rocks.

Remember, the best cleanup crew is you!

 

[tennesseebob]

I've got a Red serpent star, it's going good, stay away from a chocolate chip star. Start smallish on your cuc, and I'd wait till you've got diatoms, but a dozen red legged hermit crabs and snails, none of the meat eating snails immediately, and maybe some bristle worms if you can get them, maybe a turbo snail. After your cycle and you have some stock in the tank you can reasses your needs and increase from there.

 

[Rhygar666]

i got one like this for like 9 months now http://www.reeflex.net/tiere/3983_Nardoa_sp.htm
my friend for almost a year or a bit longer its fine getting on top of the aquarium to fish out food floating on the water surface (im dropping some freeze-dried artemia cubes in from time to time and he loves to eat it).

 

[Shawn O]

From what I've read from those here with a lot of experience, you shouldn't add a starfish until the tank is 6 months to a year old. Another good CUC member should be micro-brittle stars. Pretty much any small critter that will eat algae or detritus should work. TennesseeBob hit it pretty good, start out with a small crew and build it up. You wouldn't put a dozen cows in a pasture with only one blade of grass in it, would you?