Full Guide – Reef Tank Cleaning Hack: Hire a Dedicated Clean Up Crew (CUC).

As a kid, I remember the dread that washed over me when I heard my mother removing items from the cleaning closet. With each clink of her trusty supplies, my mind sunk deeper into the inevitable task at hand: cleaning my room.

Fast-forward to my early twenties, and while I learned to enjoy the act of purging and cleansing my home, I’m not ashamed to admit the vacuum cleaner stayed in its hiding place longer than necessary.

Now, as a full-fledged adult, I’ve forsaken my childhood grudge against cleaning days. This isn’t to suggest that I derive great pleasure from scrubbing the bathroom and organizing my spice rank, but I do love the outcome. For many of us, cleaning is a necessary evil.

And this is how I feel about cleaning my saltwater tanks. While I know and value its impact on the health and stability of its microcosm, it’s simply not fun. I suppose this is why they call cleaning a chore. Because honestly, it is.

This is, in many ways, the plight of a reef keeper. We must roll up our sleeves and do the unsavory work in order to enjoy the brilliance of our more enjoyable work.

But many moons ago, I had a thought.

Just because frequent cleaning and tank maintenance is a necessity doesn’t mean it has to be a chore, right?

Like many elements in both reef keeping and life, there’s typically a hack capable of streamlining tasks without sacrificing the end result. And when it comes to maintaining a clean and beautiful tank, there’s one hack that’s not only effective, but also fun. Yes, dear reefer, I’m talking about none other than the infamous Clean Up Crew.

Tired of Cleaning Your Reef Tank? Maybe You’re Not Using the Right Tools...

By now, I’m sure you’re aware of the dizzying array of maintenance tools and filtration devices. From choosing an effective nutrient export method to employing a protein skimmer, reef keeping is just as much about maintaining a clean environment as it is enjoying the beauty of its inhabitants.

Without mastering the art of efficient cleaning, it’s nearly impossible to sustain balanced water parameters and coral growth.

Unfortunately, even with this army of tools and equipment, it’s almost impossible to fully clean and remove impurities from 100% of your aquarium. Trust me, before hiring my own clean up crew, also known simply as CUC, I almost drove myself mad trying to remove all the bits of algae and detritus from my tanks.

This brings us to the topic in question. Who is this infamous saltwater clean up crew?

The Critters of Cleanliness - Reef Tank Clean Up Crew.

Living in my first apartment, I daydreamed about hiring a cleaning staff. Who wouldn’t revel in the ease and luxury of coming home from work and finding last nights mess magically disappeared?

For many of us, this fantasy of effortless cleanliness is a dream that’ll never be realized. While you may not be able to afford a dedicated cleaning staff, your reef tank is a whole different story.

Essentially, aquarium clean up crew are a select group of invertebrates known to bask in the grossness that accumulates in even the healthiest of saltwater aquariums. These critters thrive on the organic matter, such as detritus and algae, that’s commonly produced in any reef tank.

Day and night, this dedicated cleaning staff sifts throughout the tank looking for food, which so happens to be the potentially harmful organics you need eliminated. In many ways, this is the most effective (and passive) method for maintaining a clean aquarium.

Clean Up Crew Job Description - The True Role of CUC Critters.

On the surface, it’s easy to assume the only purpose of a CUC is to keep your tank nice and tidy. Sure, this is the most obvious benefit. Who wants to bask in the brilliance of their reef tank only to see strands of green hair algae swaying in the current or chunks of detritus (a.k.a., fish poop) collecting in the sand bed?

No thanks.

Yet, their purpose is so much greater than maintaining a desired tank aesthetic.

These hardworking invertebrates improve tank stability. While they’re happy munching away on the unsavory waste products of the other inhabitants, what they’re actually doing is making it easier to maintain water parameters.

Take food waste, for example. No matter how refined your feeding schedule and concentration may be, there’s always going to be leftover food. This may not seem like a big deal, but remember, aquarium ecosystems are incredibly delicate. It doesn’t take much to throw off its balanced chemistry.

As leftover food rests at the bottom of your tank, it begins to rot. This decaying matter actually contaminants the environment, which as you can guess, is disastrous for water parameters. Even if parameters aren’t swayed into a dangerous zone, constantly adjusting parameters place unwanted stress on livestock. Ultimately, growth rates and resistance to sickness are put in jeopardy.

What I find most interesting, and beneficial, with CUC is how they help boost filtration and other cleaning equipment effectiveness. As sand sifting invertebrates agitate the sand bed, detritus that’s not eaten is released into the water.

While this sounds bad, it’s actually good. The released detritus is now able to be captured and removed by your filtering system and the best part - Feed Your Corals.

Now that you know why a CUC is beneficial for your tank, let’s start the introductions.

Clean Up Crew Members - Our Favorite Critters.

Because of their popularity, it’s not uncommon to see unscrupulous retailers touting specific species as members of this elite cleaning team. Recently, I’ve noticed an increased number of snails added to the CUC roster. These non-reef safe crit​​ters may eat unwanted matter, but they pose a serious risk to other inhabitants.

Thankfully, there’s an even longer list of reef safe clean up crew critters. These include:

Hermits - To say that I love hermits is an understatement. Not only are they fun to watch and come in a variety of colors, but they’re incredibly effective cleaners. Here’s some of my favorites:

• Blue Leg Hermit Crab - Excellent for removing film algae and hair algae, but also quite fond of snacking on cyanob​​acteria and detritus.

• Thin Striped Hermit - Like the aforementioned, this hermit is great for getting rid of film and hair algae, as well as cyanobacteria and detritus.

• Scarlet Hermit - This is an active cleaner and is very beautiful. Like the others, they eat algae, cyanobacteria and detritus.

Starfish - Who doesn’t love starfish? Not only will they add a fun tropical flare to your tank, but they’re powerful cleaners, too. Here’s my favorite:

• Serpent Starfish - Very good at cleaning detritus and is an active crew member with an affinity for moving its way through rocks searching for food.

• Brittle Star Starfish - This active scavenger doesn’t make an appearance during the day, but at night, it comes out and feasts on a variety of unwanted matter.

• Sand Sifting Starfish - Perhaps one of the most talented members of the CUC, this ravenous starfish dines on detritus, algae, and well, almost anything else that it considers edible. Keep in mind, it has an impressive appetite and it’s not uncommon for it to consume unwanted organic matter faster than it can be replaced. This rockstar starfish is recommended for larger, well-established tanks.

Urchins - If you’re looking for a unique addition to your tank, then you should definitely consider urchins. Like…

• Juvenile Rock Boring Urchin - Available in a variety of colors, this urchin is excellent at getting rid of more complex algae, such as calcified algae.

• Pincushion Urchins - This urchin is ravenous for hair algae, but they’re quite large and can be damaging to small coral frags, acrylic tank (they will scratch its surface) and snails/hermits (they will literally wear them for camouflage). I recommend them only for large tanks with extremely stable structures.

Snails - While some snails are aggressive, others are perfect members of the clean up crew. I prefer…

• Nassarius Vibex - Best used as a scavenger and sand bed agitator. While they don’t eat algae, they are excellent for getting rid of detritus and leftover fish food.

• Netrite Snail - Not a picky eater, this snail consumes diatoms, algae, detritus and cyanobacteria.

• Florida Cerith Snails - These snails prefer diatoms, algae, cyanobacteria and detritus and like to explore all parts of your tank, including aquarium glass walls, substrate and rocks.

• And sire the Trochus snail! They are amazing as well.

This only a partial list of CUC members. Others, such as Fuzzy Chiton, Limpets and Peppermint Shrimp are also excellent cleaners.

While there’s a host of resources and suppliers available, my personal recommendation is Reef​ Cleaners. They are the only place I purchase my CUC members, and have always been not only helpful, but provided healthy and hungry invertebrates.

I highly suggest going with one of their Cleaner Packages. Personally, I prefer the Quick Crews, which are specially selected species chosen for their ability to eat massive amounts of algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria and miscellaneous waste. Definitely check them out!

Sidenote: One of my favorite snails, the Mexican Turbo Snail, isn’t included in the Quick Crews package. I highly recommend placing 1 per 20 gallons of tank volume. Infamous for its incredible appetite, this snail happily munches on nuisance algae (hair algae, in particular). Find this awesome CUC member at you local fish store.

Sidenote Part II: One more thing, you’ll probably be itching to fill your freshly cycled tank with fish. While you’re almost ready to begin stocking your new aquarium, fish type is very important. Personally, I add the Sand Sifting Goby when water parameters stabilize. This is an awesome fish for sifting through sand and eating away the undesirable organics commonly found in a freshly cycled reef tank.

Cleaning Crew Health & Happiness Hacks.

One of the main reasons why CUC critters are so popular isn’t just because they’re effective. It’s because they’re so easy to integrate within your tank. Of course, there’s a few hacks to make this process as smooth as possible:

• Acclimation - Thankfully, acclimating CUC members to your tank is relatively straightforward. The most important tip to remember is to NEVER drip acclimate. Instead, while they’re still in their arrival/travel bag, gently place the bag into your aquarium. Wait around 15-20 minutes so they get acclimated to tank water temperature. Then, simply discard the water in the bag and add the critters into your tank.

• Number of Crew Members - As a general rule, use one critter per gallon of water. So if you have a 50 gallon tank, then 50 critters would likely be sufficient. Be sure to add multiple species, as long as they’re compatible with other livestock. This increases tank biodiversity and adds a unique visual element to the aquarium. And you don’t need to worry about it when buying a pack from Reef Cleaners, they have premade packages for all sort of tanks, just choose the right one for your tank size.

• When To Add CUC Critters - While you can add them whenever you please, I’ve found the best time is right after you’ve cycled your tank on day 30. This is typically when algae blooms start to form. When you start to see algae and diatoms form, then the time is likely good for adding these helpers. However, avoid adding urchins, limpets and other scavenger crew members until the tank is stabilized and established.

Cleaning Your Reef Tank Just Got Cute - Final Thoughts.

Maintaining a healthy and vibrant reef tank requires a lot of attention. However, the foundation of all other steps is making sure this environment is as clean and stable as possible. While there’s a lot of unforeseen circumstances that will come your way, maintaining a clean world for your corals, fish and other inhabitants should never be met with a surprise.

Clean up crew creatures are, in my opinion, the most effective and attractive way to keep your tank healthy, happy and beautiful.

What’s your experience with CUC critters? Do you have a favorite? Head on over to our Facebook page and let us know! As always,

Happy Reefing!

by Yuliya Ivanova for ReefHacks.