ok....so is now the time for those 10 snails and hermit crabs? I do not have sand at this point - only live rock, which begs another question. Do you run your system with/without sand? I have heard the comments on either side of this.:neutral:

thats a great debate and really a personal choice.
both have beneficial attributes, both have downsides.
It's really whatever you like the look of better.
at the end of the day Live Rock should do just about everything that live sand can.

My own opinion:

Bare bottom tanks look like fish store tanks. Sand makes a tank look more natural. :)

and either way, is now the time for those 10 snails and hermit crabs?

Adding the clean up crew is the great place to start :) I dont think I ever really waited more than a couple weeks before I added snails and crabs.

I'm currently running a tank that is mainly bare bottom, but does still have some sand for the goby. I love it. There are ways to create faux bottoms if you were worried about it, but I don't notice it anymore.

and whats the matter with that. :lol:


I think it depends on what your stocking, although both can ve run with anything. I prefer the nice clean no sand look in my sps tank with a whack of current. I can see and siphon out the detritus and snail doo-doo,s during my weekly water change

It is ok to add them now.
Remember snails like high and constant salinity 1.025 to 1.026and must be acclimatized very slowly. 3 hours minimum
Any questions on how to do it ask.

Sand bed. I like to natural look and I like the fact that there are lots of stuff in the sand that creates minute food for all the other critters.
But, unless it comes to tangs, each to his own.