Help Picking A Cleanup Crew

[blurry]

I think I might be losing my mind picking out a cleanup crew! so many opinions. I'm thinking of the following for my now cycled fish-only 72 gallon with about 70 pounds of live rock and a deep sand bed (5+"):

50 Astrea (are these also known as turbo snails?)
20 Cerieth
12 Scarlet Hermits
3 cleaner shrimp

how do these numbers sound? I was initially recomended 100 Astrea and 50 Cerieth - just seems like a lot...)

I have heard some negative things about the blue legged hermits so I was going to stay away from them.

Where can I get a decent price on the snails? the LFS shop wants $3 a pice (wow!)

thanks!

how does this sound?

Total Reef Care Special #3
100 Turbo Snail [astrae], -12 Scarlet Reef Hermits, - 48 Nassarius Snails, - 24 Cerith Snails {the good kind}, 4 Emerald Crabs and 6 Nerite. PLUS... 1 Small Fighting Conch!! Free Shipping & Box via FedEx Priority Overnight. You may purchase additional items along with this special and get free shipping & box for those items as well. Only $139.00

 

[crazyelece]

For a 75 I would add:

75 nassarius snails
5 turbo snails
10 margarita snails
30 scarlet hermits
15 blueleg hermits
5 zebra hermits
3 emerald crabs
3 skunk cleaner shrimp

I like a mixture like this to cover all areas and a wide variety of diets.

 

[MoonTang]

I would go with that package.

They should've added some blue leg hermits and a Brittle Starfish though.

 

[Great Lakes]

Go to reeftopia.com

They sell the best price/variety cleanup crews I have ever seen.

GL

 

[sacramonel]

I was never a huge fan of having that many snails. The problem, in my opinion, is that Hermits absolutely destroy the snails in there. I buy about 20 snails every 2 months or so. They keep the glass spotless, and its not infested with them.

 

[crazyelece]

nassarius stay in the sand so usually don't fall prey to hermits. 15 others are easy to watch. Hermits aren't as bad as they are made out to be as long as you don't force them to go after the snails.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, thats why I'm a fan of nassarius and cerith snails. They tend to avoid the wrath of the hermits and can right themselves easily. Much more "fire and forget" crew members

 

[crazyelece]

definately, plus nothing comes close to their ability to keep a sand bed clean of everything.