Help with CUC

I'm a few weeks in to my new 75 gallon tank (eventually will turn it into a reef tank). I tested the water today and 0's across the board on Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia. I've got a pretty good field of green going and want to start getting the clean up crew established. Here is what I'm thinking:

- 5 red legged hermits
- 5 blue legged hermits
- 5 Nassarius snails
- 5 Cerith snails
- 5 Nerite snails
- 1 Peppermint shrimp

What does everyone think?

Thanks.

 

looks like a good start. alot more then i have in my 120g

 

Personally, I'd trade the red-leg hermits for more blue-legs and the peppermint shrimp for a skunk cleaner or coral banded shrimp. Red-leg hermits and peppermint shrimp can become opportunistic when they mature and have been known to kill corals and other inverts.

 

Honestly after over a decade in the hobby I do whatever John Malony at reefcleaners says.

 

I use very tiny CUC'S on my tanks and actually have three snails in my 120 frag tank since I started it over a year ago..Your list looks good to me.Probably would hold off on any kind of shrimp until you are sure the tank is stable.

 

yep except I'd skip the coral banded shrimp, mine turned into a snail/crab killing monster

yep

Don't disagree with vinny hardly ever, but this i must I love my oversized CUC, it allows me to be lazy and let critters keep my tank clean, and me a reason to leave it dirty ya know to feed them.

 

good advice. I wish lfs in my area would carry blue leg hermits. None of them do for some damn reason.

 

+1 with above post

 

i'd skip on the nerite snails and get either some turbo snails, or margarita snails. I find millions of hitchhiker nerite snails in my live rock. At night they all come out so i dont see a point adding them.

Agree with blue leg over the red, but a few red wont hurt. they go after a few different types of algae. Get about 30 blues and 10 reds or even a few less. Around here the lfs suggest 1 crab per 2 gallons. I've used that as a general rule of thumb. Snails you can go about 1 for every 3 gallons. For your 75 I'd rock about 20 or so total.

Don't get the peppermint yet, I would get a skunk cleaner as well, or even blood shrimps over peppermints.

 

I didn't get any nerite snails in my LR, and am glad I bought some (came with my CUC from Reef Cleaners). They are great at cleaning the glass, and also escaping the tank if it is not covered