clean-up crews

jks1

jks1

Member
Well, hard to believe but the new 210 has finished the cycle and has been up now for a month on Saturday. Ive slowly increased lighting over the course of the month and have been at full glory for a week and a half now- (3 x 400W 10K + 2 x 96W Actinics).

Did a full battery of tests this morning:
Temp= 78.8
PH= 8.11
SG= 1.026
ORP= 275
Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= .07
Nitrate= 3.5
Alk= 4.0 meq/L
Calcium= 350
Phos= .02
Magnesium= 1840

So most looks pretty good. Cant figure out whats up with the magnesium, tested twice and got the same results. Ive never added anything to the tank... Could it be coming from the Ca reactor? Im using ARM media. Also all water was RO/DI with a TDS of 2. Any ideas?

Also I think it is about time for a clean-up crew. I will need a fairly big one. I want to avoid blue leg hermits, but will add a few scarlets. For a 210, what would you recommend and where would you get it online??

Heres a pic from this morning, it should be obvious why I want to add the clean-up crew.. but it is to be expected:
 
reefrunner

reefrunner

Contributing Member
Cant figure out whats up with the magnesium, tested twice and got the same results. Ive never added anything to the tank... Could it be coming from the Ca reactor? Im using ARM media. Also all water was RO/DI with a TDS of 2. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Test your newly mixed salt. I had a bag of IO that was reading about 2500ppm Mg a little over a year ago, that was the straw that broke the camels back and prompted the switch to a different salt. Judging from the CA v Alk readings, I'd be willing to bet your using IO.

As for clean up crews...I would add a boat load of nassarius for the sand bed and eating the uneaten food. Ceriths, trochus and some stomatellas if you can find them (mostly they come as hitchikers on the rock). I am crab free in my tank and plan to stay that way, but if I were gonna do some hermits, I would do the dwarf zebra left hand hermits and keep plenty of shells for them to move into as they grow. When I purchesed my snails, I got them from live aquaria, now when I need to add a couple I just get them from the LFS.
 
jks1

jks1

Member
Well, youre right Kevin- Im using ReefCrystals from IO. Dont want to start a salt bashing thread but what did you swith too? I'll test a batch of fresh mix and see what the levels are. Thanks..
 
reefrunner

reefrunner

Contributing Member
I switched to Tropic Marin, and have been happy with it, I know alot of folks are happy with the Oceanic salt, reporting CA levels of 440-480, but a relatively low alk.
 
reefrunner

reefrunner

Contributing Member
LOL, I should point out, that with a 210. Tropic Marin would be pretty hard on the wallet, if I were doing larger than a 20, I would probably be using the Oceanic salt as it is comparbly priced with IO. It may not be a big deal anyway, with that size tank and the equipment you have on it, after the first 6 months or so, you may cut back on watr changes to none, or only a couple times per year. Me personally, I would do regular water changes for the first six months, then the tank should be stable enough to go without, just having salt on hand for emergencies and for replacing water used to bag up frags :D
 
jks1

jks1

Member
maffu- in my experience they are the most likely "reef safe" hermits to go snail hunting...
 
M

Montanareefer

Has been struck by the ban stick
I would get some queen conchs, nassarius and astrea snails, some scarlet hermits like you mentioned. Check out http://www.saltwaterfish.com :)

They have some nice clean-up packages for different size tanks. Free shipping as well. :)
 
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Craig Manoukian

Craig Manoukian

Well-Known Member
Blue legs are excellent algeavores when small. As they grow they become carnivores. I trade the ones that grow big for small ones at my LFS and it keeps the algae in check, minimizes snail losses, and cuts the replacement cost of the crab janitorial crew. HTH

:) :D :cool: ;) :p :smirk:
 
Witfull

Witfull

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Craig Manoukian
Blue legs are excellent algeavores when small. As they grow they become carnivores.
Click to expand...
ohh when will the madness end!! wheres my sign,,,ahhh

Crabs Are Evil
 
Witfull

Witfull

Well-Known Member
oh,,,so wait till they kill their first snail then be reactive instead of proactive?

and leave my phobias alone,,,,they balance my delusions of grandeur :D
 
Craig Manoukian

Craig Manoukian

Well-Known Member
Good point Wit. You don't have to wait for the first snail loss. I can tell by their size when they've outgrown the algeavore stage. That's when they get recycled.
 
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