[JBizz]

I am new to saltwater and am setting up my first tank. It is 75 gallons and I was wondering what everyone thinks of the invert packages that are available from websites like saltwaterfish.com or Drs. Foster and Smith? If you like them is there a particular one that a NooB like me should be thinking of?

[dfurbee]

Jim, you might want to check out reeftopia.com They have a nice invert package, and offer freebies to you for certain day deliveries.

[dragonboy4578]

I always worry about putting that many inverts in a tank at once. Can it cause your levels to spike?

[dfurbee]

My levels did not spike at all. They are all still alive and healthy

[DoLceNBeLLa]

I did a package from reeftopia a while ago. Got a nudibranch, 4 peppermints, 3 emerald crabs, and a bunch of snails and hermit crabs. The shipping and pepermint shrimp were free and they did a great job with their shipping.
Everything was alive when it came to my door, and they also included a detailed set of directions for acclimation which I used and it worked perfectly.

[gimmito]

I highly recommend reeftopia. I got a nice mix of turbo,nerite,& star snails. Also, got some red and blue hermit crabs. Take care in acclimating them..they're sensitive to sudden changes in specific gravity, ph, & temperature.

[deyoe1118]

check out sealife.net
no packages but you can't beat the prices...almost like a la carte but better!!!

[lynnvangsnes]

Jim, no need to dive in with what they want you to buy. You don't need an assortment of 75 critters (shudder!). Let your tank cycle through, and get around 5 astrea snails, some bumblebee snails, some red and blue hermit crabs...do you have sand? if so, some cerith snails will help as well as some nassarius snails. I like diversity. I have a 120 gal and I don't have more than 25 critters. I didn't want the place crawling with them. Yeah, they want you to buy 1 of these per gallon, one of those per gallon...they want you to have an invertebrate tank. If you do your water changes regularly, you can keep your algae growth to a minumum...and you will have algae growing and it's not always a bad thing. Wait for your critters until your tank finishes cycling. By that time, you will have noticeable algae growth.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

If you do buy a clean up crew kit,buy one smaller than recomended buy the seller. There is such a thing as to much bang for the buck.