well I was thinking....I can get the live rock and sand going in my tank this weekend. I really think it should cycle for a few weeks before I start adding critters. If we were to wait say a week or so, I could add them to my establishing refugium and then introduce them to my tank. Is it possible to say wait like a ...weekish?

I am not in a real hurry, I've waited 1 year and 5 month's to get a pair of cleaner shrimp so waiting another week wont kill me. :D

Ross, how long has your refugium been cycling, and what size is it? What are your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings? (Same questions for your main tank.)

I don't know if your tank is quite ready, and rushing it is universally viewed as a bad idea. I don't want to throw water on your fire, but it's no point sacrificing animals to impatience (although many of us may have at some point).

But - if your refugium is near-to-ready then perhaps you could start with a batch now, and then order again when your main tank comes online. It's a 180 in't it? You'll need quite a number of cleanup crew.

It's a thought... and as for scarlet reef hermits, I'm a big fan. They clean rocks, sand, debris, dead and dying animals, dead coral tissue, slime algae, you name it. I also really like the Astrea snails - they do a good job on rocks and glass too. Nassarius are fun to watch in the sand, but are too small to do much, really. I'm hoping for good things from this fighting conch. You'll probably need two... eventually.

Keep in mind also, if you get a few at first they can get ahead of the algae growth curve and keep it in check for the inevitable cycles/blooms you'll get in a new tank. If you buy too many off the bat, they might not have enough food in a new system. (Hence my "buy in batches" advice.)

HTH,

Alan :D

Just to add my bit, I also have scarlet hemits and they're absolutely fine. Mine never look twice at snails and have been with me for 2+years. Blue legged on the other hand are murderous little ba*****ds that kill snails just for fun!!!

I'm perfectly OK to wait a week.... actually maybe works a little better for me.

I guess it is time to reflect on the original reason that Nassarius snails were recommended. Their main purpose is to stir the sandbed, NOT as cleanup crew. They spend most of their time BURIED, thus they stir up the sanbed, and keep it from cementing. They are very good at cleaning up dead fish. I have had several fish die (as far as I know, because there were no bodies on the floor), It appears the snails ate them up, as I have never seen them again. There now appears to be evidence Scarlet Reef Hermits are OK. I have never had them, so I will not pass judgment. Other hermits I have had were horrors. The LSOH's at one time sold Margarita Snails, and what he called Margarita crabs. I soon found out why they were called by that name. They had all stolen Margarita Snail shells, and used them to live in. :D

Sounds good Tony, let's take this week to decide exactly what we want and coordinate towards the weekend? Ross, you still up for contact person? :wink:

(As for sand stirrers, doesn't every creature in that bed take a hand in turning over each and every particle? Didn't Shimek say that the entire mass would be turned over once every so many days, if you had the requisite worms, pods, bugs etc.?)

Alan

Quite true, but how do you know if you have the required quantity of critters :?: :?: :?: , hence the addition of other critters like snails, conches etc.

If Ross cannot be the pickup person, I will do it. I have looked at J&L's site, and did not see Royal Gramas. So at this point in time only a Cleaner Shrimp is called for.

Bob, check under "Dottybacks" for a "Royal Gramma - Brazil" at $21.95.

Alan

Thanks, I of course looked under Basslets, as a Grama is not a Dottyback. Picked up a Grama, also Brazil from the LSOH's tonight at $29.95., and if you read this Ross and Evan, Daniel says the lights we have are horrible quality. That makes me happy, because anything he does not sell is bad quality according to him, so we should be fine. :D :D :D