Recommended # of sandbed stirrers

Birdlady · 06-13-2004, 04:21 AM

I wasn't sure under which category this might go so feel free to move it.......

Below is a chart link recommending the # of critters one should have in different size tanks......anyone got feedback? Sounds like a boatload, esp of the hermits.......

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/package_chart.html

Birdlady · 06-13-2004, 07:27 PM

What, no takers on this one??? According to this chart, I should have, in my 60 gallon tank, 120 blue leg hermits....among other things. Is this extreme?

Chris Jones · 06-14-2004, 03:47 AM

This looks like alot of critters AND alot of money. This is my experience. you can see everything i have in my tank from my sig and in the gallery you can see my tank. my sand gets turned over just fine and the lawn that was on my live rock got mowed and stays trimmed just fine. AS a matter of fact, I have never used the Mag Float glass cleaner that came with my tank EVER! my snails move along at, well, their pace (a snail's pace LOL) and I have had my tank running for over a month maybe two, and my PC lights are on about 8 or nine hours a day. So take what they tell you with a grain of salt. As they told me here in the thread "Is this a good deal?" go a little at a time and add some if your present critters don't seem to be handling the load. You are going to come out a whole lot cheaper and feel better about knowing how many can control what in the process so you don't end up with a lot of dead or starving critters.

Hope this helps!

Chris Jones · 06-14-2004, 03:51 AM

BTW if I put any more LR in my tank the fish would not be seen much and wouldn't have much space to swim, and according to that link you put here, I need 40 more lbs of LR. NO WAY! that is a little high. A good rule of thumb is 1 lb LR and LS per gallon of tank capacity, or somewhere there abouts.

Birdlady · 06-14-2004, 05:31 AM

Thanks! Oh, I know it is a lot of money.....wasn't planning on buying...esp since I don't even have H2O in the tank yet....

I was just looking to the future, and if it was reasonable, to keep the guide for future reference......

I am glad I am not crazy...I thought all the numbers were pretty high except the 2 Peppermint shrimp....
Now, is that pound of rock per gallon mean the tank capacity of water only or how many actual gallons are in the system, accounting for displacement and sump?

PS.....I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!!!!

dx7fd2 · 06-14-2004, 05:34 AM

Whew!!! Where do you put the water after putting in all that rock and sand?? That seems extreme all the way around to me. The charts I've been looking at recommend the 1lb per gallon theory, which seems to be pretty safe and allows for LR growth and coral additions later on. *

That is a lot of Hermits...I would think starting with around 1 per gallon of mixed janitor guys would be good. You can always add more. *

Chris Jones · 06-14-2004, 07:43 AM

Well Sue, surprisingly enough, my LR Hardly displaced 3 gallons and the sump holds more than that, so I just went with the tank capacity or there abouts. A few pounds more or less wont matter.

Jason McKenzie · 06-14-2004, 08:46 AM

That is a Huge Clean up crew. I have noticed most Clean up Crew Packages are a little over the top. I would also say the LR and LS is extreme. I would say for LR 1 to 1.5 lbs per Gallon and LS is according to what depth you want it. As for clean up crew I would start off with fewer and add as you go. When starting a tank you will have less bio-load so the need for a huge clean up crew is not necessary. As you add fish you can add inverts. I would start off with 20 Hermits stick to Blue Legged, Red Scarlet, and 10-15 each of a few different kinds of snails. Like Certh, Margarita, Nassarius, Astrea.

That's just my opinion though
Jason

dx7fd2 · 06-14-2004, 08:54 AM

I agree, Jason. It's easy to add critters later as the load increases. You never know, you might find some cool deals later on.

Craig Manoukian · 06-14-2004, 09:31 AM

Get plenty off Nassaurius Snails as they will really keep your sand bed stirred. Cerith snails are great for cleaning the glass next to the sand line. Turbos are good for the glass and rocks. Bumble Bee snails are stellar rock cleaners. Scarlet Hermits are fabulous algeavores and don't become overly aggressive carnivores. Blue Leg Hermits are fabulous algeavores when small but become carnivorous as they get larger. Cleaner Shrimp are a must in my book, two pairs for your tank size. A couple of Conchs are also good.