Hey thanks for the reassuring tip i have been recently looking into adding a cucum
ber to my 75 gallon reef . I usually take risks in my tank that i definatly should’nt with alot of the older reefers i know they try to hype up their past experiences.
ive heard Sea Cucumbers can help keep a tank clean. And Im also glad to see you agree, but my question is what is the best kind to get. There are many types and well just like anything else, some work better than others. Not just the ones that do the best jobs, but will be less problematic if they start to go down or in reef tanks…
thanks
Mark,
i was wonder ing whenever you aren’t showing off the reef tank you have those really deep blue lights on. i was wondering what the make and bulb you are using, email me the answers,
thanks.
Email: [email protected]
Same question here too. What kind of sea cucumber? Also do sea cucumbers and olive snails get along together or not? I actually saw one of my olive snails come up out of the sand bed, surround a hermit crab (shell and all). I saved the crab but poor thing had been slimed good. Ha ha
Dan, Sand sifting sea stars are not necessarily a good idea. They are voracious feeders, which means unless you have a 300+ gallon tank, they will wipe out a DSB in a matter of months, and if you are not running a DSB they will clear it out even sooner. They then start to slowly starve, and when they die, they usually bury themselves in your sand. Now, it is possible to keep them alive and healthy by “feeding” the sand, basically put small bits of clam, scallop, or squid under the surface of the sand, the star will find it eventually, if they don’t, try placing them on top of the food. Things to watch out for are a sunken in center disc, or erosion of the disc, as well as erosion of the legs, these all could be signs your star is starving. BTW, I have one of these, I bought it because my preliminary research indicated that it was not going to be as much work as it turned out to be. Do I regret the purchase, no, I love seeing the guy cruise around my tank, or digging in on top of some food I placed in the sand.
What if you dont use sand. Personally i use aragonite, but you can also use crushed coral right. so would a cucumber work as efficently or at all from these other beds?
I have a sea cucumber and have had it for about 6 months. It does not clean the sand. It actually never moves. It went to the top of the tank where the current is the strongest and stayed there. I did move it to the bottom one time, but it went right back to the same spot. Just my luck. I got a lazy sea cucmber lol
Hey thanks for the reassuring tip i have been recently looking into adding a cucum
ber to my 75 gallon reef . I usually take risks in my tank that i definatly should’nt with alot of the older reefers i know they try to hype up their past experiences.
Sea Cucumbers are great! we have atleast 50 in our sump. They do a great job of keeping the sand clean.
Good Tip Mark! Tank is looking great by the way!
hi, do sea cucumbers eat all the critters in the sand bed?
I’ve gotta agree with Mad Hatter…best I’ve seen it look!
Hey mark what size L.E.D light would you recommend for corals in a 75 gallon? It would be just soft corals. Thanks for the help
ive heard Sea Cucumbers can help keep a tank clean. And Im also glad to see you agree, but my question is what is the best kind to get. There are many types and well just like anything else, some work better than others. Not just the ones that do the best jobs, but will be less problematic if they start to go down or in reef tanks…
thanks
Mark,
i was wonder ing whenever you aren’t showing off the reef tank you have those really deep blue lights on. i was wondering what the make and bulb you are using, email me the answers,
thanks.
Email: [email protected]
I have the same question as Mark H. about what kind of sea cucumber should I get.
Same question here too. What kind of sea cucumber? Also do sea cucumbers and olive snails get along together or not? I actually saw one of my olive snails come up out of the sand bed, surround a hermit crab (shell and all). I saved the crab but poor thing had been slimed good. Ha ha
you could also use a sand sifting sea star which does not pose any threat, and also stirs sand bed and eats detritus.
Dan, Sand sifting sea stars are not necessarily a good idea. They are voracious feeders, which means unless you have a 300+ gallon tank, they will wipe out a DSB in a matter of months, and if you are not running a DSB they will clear it out even sooner. They then start to slowly starve, and when they die, they usually bury themselves in your sand. Now, it is possible to keep them alive and healthy by “feeding” the sand, basically put small bits of clam, scallop, or squid under the surface of the sand, the star will find it eventually, if they don’t, try placing them on top of the food. Things to watch out for are a sunken in center disc, or erosion of the disc, as well as erosion of the legs, these all could be signs your star is starving. BTW, I have one of these, I bought it because my preliminary research indicated that it was not going to be as much work as it turned out to be. Do I regret the purchase, no, I love seeing the guy cruise around my tank, or digging in on top of some food I placed in the sand.
great advice jesse.
Julie…I like tiger tail cucumbers and pink cucumbers. I haven’t heard of olive snails be aggressive towards sea cucumbers.
What if you dont use sand. Personally i use aragonite, but you can also use crushed coral right. so would a cucumber work as efficently or at all from these other beds?
I have a sea cucumber and have had it for about 6 months. It does not clean the sand. It actually never moves. It went to the top of the tank where the current is the strongest and stayed there. I did move it to the bottom one time, but it went right back to the same spot. Just my luck. I got a lazy sea cucmber lol