Various (potentially embarrassing) Questions

[Hitch08]

Some background: 120g DT with a 40g sump with a 30" Lifereef skimmer. I have a refuge section in the sump that is probably 10 x 11 x 16. Yeah, not big. There is a thin layer of aragonite substrate on the bottom of the refuge. It's very thin - not enough to actually cover the bottom. There is also some rubble in the refuge. The pieces aren't bigger than a golf ball or an orange.

I have no fish.

I received an order of "The Package" from Tampa Bay Saltwater yesterday evening. It included about 90 pounds of live rock. I added that live rock to some existing rock, which I had started to cycle back in March or April. It's too much rock, so I intend to remove some of the original rock. Since I plan to move the rock around, I didn't want to load the DT with all of the crabs, snails and the pep. shrimp. I put them in the refuge. I put the two sea cucumbers in the DT, along with a brittle star, as I am comfortable that I can collect them. Well, was comfortable. The lighter of the two sea cucumbers disappeared within a minute or so of going into the DT.

I'll probably move the rock around over the next few days.

I just did some research and believe that one of the hitchhiker crabs that I received is a Gorilla. I think the others are brown porcelain crabs. Here's a picture:

Today I received an order of Chaeto from Live Aquaria.

Here are my questions:
1. Can I just add the Chaeto to the refuge? I do have an LED light for it. Does it need to be QT'd?
2. Have I made a mistake with putting the various crabs, snails and shrimp in my refuge? Is it bad to have them together in there?
3. Does anyone know what kind of crabs those are?
4. Should I be feeding anything?
5. How deep should the aragonite be in the refuge?

Also, I have EcoTech Radions over the tank. They are in a canopy which I need to ventilate. I was thinking about cutting one circular hole in the top of the canopy just above each light. I have a 3" circular cutting thing (technical term) which I can use to make the holes. I also bought an Icecap Smart fan, which I will put in the back to blow air in. Is that a good plan?

 

[Sk8r]

Put the cheato in. You can't get ich without fish, and this tank is a number of weeks away from fish. 72 days total no-fish, no-new additions of stuff, and you should be safe.

I wouldn't trust those crabs anywhere but the fuge.

My aragonite is about an inch deep in the fuge.

The crabs will eat the shrimp if they can catch them, and they can be pretty sneaky.

About your lights, I don't know: find out what height they need to be above the water.

 

[Rob6311]

I agree to keep the crabs in the fuge.

And you probably should have waited until your tank fully cycled to get shrimp and snails, unless they came with the rock but then you really can't do anything about it.

And your going to have to find out what you need to do and how much you need to ventilate your canopy to achieve a constant temp in your tank. That's really a question we can't really answer fully.

 

[billdogg]

Crabs in fuge = good. Crabs other places = usually bad, especially those two big guys.

Your plan for venting the canopy is a good one - blow the air in and allow it to escape. You can get louvered covers for the holes on the top so that it doesn't look like 2 spotlights coming out. The holes may have to be a size other than 3", but at least IMO, that's just an excuse to buy another tool!

 

[nerose]

Hitch how do you like your rock from the package? Was it worth the money?

 

[liverock]

easy to ID...three of them are porcelain crabs...good guys..$9.95 each...the other a small gorilla..see here

http://tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html

squish him and add back to tank..great food for everybody..

Richard TBS
www.tbsdaltwater.com :lolspin::lolspin::lolspin:

Some background: 120g DT with a 40g sump with a 30" Lifereef skimmer. I have a refuge section in the sump that is probably 10 x 11 x 16. Yeah, not big. There is a thin layer of aragonite substrate on the bottom of the refuge. It's very thin - not enough to actually cover the bottom. There is also some rubble in the refuge. The pieces aren't bigger than a golf ball or an orange.

I have no fish.

I received an order of "The Package" from Tampa Bay Saltwater yesterday evening. It included about 90 pounds of live rock. I added that live rock to some existing rock, which I had started to cycle back in March or April. It's too much rock, so I intend to remove some of the original rock. Since I plan to move the rock around, I didn't want to load the DT with all of the crabs, snails and the pep. shrimp. I put them in the refuge. I put the two sea cucumbers in the DT, along with a brittle star, as I am comfortable that I can collect them. Well, was comfortable. The lighter of the two sea cucumbers disappeared within a minute or so of going into the DT.

I'll probably move the rock around over the next few days.

I just did some research and believe that one of the hitchhiker crabs that I received is a Gorilla. I think the others are brown porcelain crabs. Here's a picture:

Today I received an order of Chaeto from Live Aquaria.

Here are my questions:
1. Can I just add the Chaeto to the refuge? I do have an LED light for it. Does it need to be QT'd?
2. Have I made a mistake with putting the various crabs, snails and shrimp in my refuge? Is it bad to have them together in there?
3. Does anyone know what kind of crabs those are?
4. Should I be feeding anything?
5. How deep should the aragonite be in the refuge?

Also, I have EcoTech Radions over the tank. They are in a canopy which I need to ventilate. I was thinking about cutting one circular hole in the top of the canopy just above each light. I have a 3" circular cutting thing (technical term) which I can use to make the holes. I also bought an Icecap Smart fan, which I will put in the back to blow air in. Is that a good plan?

 

[Hitch08]

Thanks all!

Do I need to feed this stuff?

I'll leave the big crabs in the refuge. Well, not sure what to do with the Gorilla crab. Shouldn't the blue leg hermits go into the DT? They are really small and came with extra shells. They are way smaller than the snails.

Rob - I started the cycle on my rock back in April (in a couple of tubs) with Dr. Tim's ammonia and fish food. I moved the rock from the tubs into the DT then waited over 4 weeks. Then, I added some aragonite and waited another two plus weeks. Also, the live rock from Rick @ TBS was packaged, shipped in water via Southwest Cargo, picked up and put in my tank the same day. Pretty comfortable that my prior rock was cycled, but I'm testing ammonia daily and I have a large Brute trash can full of RO/DI water. Come to think of it, I should mix some saltwater now.

Good thought on the holes for the top of the canopy. I should research louvered covers and not go any larger. Until then, the canopy doors will stay open.

 

[Hitch08]

Hitch how do you like your rock from the package? Was it worth the money?

Thrilled and yes! Even my wife is excited about it. She was texting me today as she kept going down in the basement to check out all of the life.

Also, I am trying to get some photographs with my camera - not cell phone. I'll get them posted in that thread ASAP, hopefully tonight.

EDIT: I now see Rick's response. Thanks!!

 

[Rutrag]

Various (potentially embarrassing) Questions

I don't know how similar they are, but my blue porcelain crab was a model, although seldom seen citizen. I never saw him use his claws, but feathery mouthparts to filter feed. I only ever saw him on rare occasions in the open, but he would often hang out under a rock when feeding. He just disappeared one day. I'm not sure at all what could have happened to him.

 

[rmcaum]

The porcelains are mostly filter feeders and will most likely not harm any other creatures. They are fun to watch. The gorilla(hairy legs, pointy claws) aren't going to do you much good in the fuge or anywhere else. They will eat whatever they can catch. As for the cycle, the true live rock that you got from TBS should support the removal of waste products from these creatures. Continue to monitor the ammonia like you are doing and as soon as it and nitrite read zero you are "fully" cycled. Stability takes a little longer and adding any new livestock (fish/crabs...) besides coral/algae disrupts the tanks ability to equalize waste until it has time to catch up. If you are going to fallow the tank for months, yes you will need to add something to tank (food) to keep the bacteria and critters alive until you start adding fish and feeding normally.

 

[Cbaby1177]

I have three porcelain crabs. Love them!!! I also have two cleaner shrimp and one fire shrimp. They are get along great. The crabs put their fans out to filter feed when I feed the tank. I love them!!

 

[Fish_BowLisha]

@Cbaby1177 so you have a fire shrimp in with your cleaners? What size tank? I would love to have a fire shrimp but don't want an epic battle with my cleaner who is quite large.

 

[Shawn O]

Those Porcelain crabs are supposed to be rock inhabitants and don't try to live in an anemone. Shouldn't hurt coral or fish. They're supposed to do well in groups so it's good you got a few. Great bonus there. I think those are called Red Porcelain Crabs by some vendors, regardless, they're really cool. As Richard said, feed the gorilla to the other critters, he might as well become useful somehow. If you don't want the Porcelains, feel free to ship 'em to me.

 

[Cbaby1177]

I have a 180. One blue porcelain, one red porcelain, one anemone porcelain (who hosts my wellso lol), one Pom Pom crab, two large (full size) breeding cleaners and one (full size) fire shrimp. Oh and I recently got a harlequin for my asterinas. Everyone gets along. My porcelains are never near each other so they don't group together.