John Pryor Reviews Aquarium Depot’s Clean Up Crews

There are few things that bother me more than looking into one of my saltwater aquariums and finding that the colorful fish and corals that inhabit the tank are obscured by widespread algae and cloudy water. This is especially frustrating for me since I spend quite a bit of time monitoring and maintaining the cleanliness of my tanks, but I am also keenly aware of the fact that it does not take much time at all for algae to take over a tank once the ideal conditions are present.

Since I was looking to add some biodiversity to several of my tanks anyway, I decided to turn to a few of the “Clean It Up Crews” I came across on Aquarium Depot’s website. I had heard good things about the company before, but I had never ordered fish, corals, snails or any other living tank members that would have to be shipped to my home. The company was quite clear about the fact that its practices were based on ensuring the well-being and safe arrival of anything shipped via mail, and I was pleased to find that when my order arrived this was indeed the case.

My order, which happened to qualify for free shipping, was composed of the following “Clean It Up Crew” packages:

• 100 Strong Saltwater Clean Up Crew
• Algae Eating Crew – Mini
• Caribbean Crab Crew
• Hair Algae Destroyers – Large

I chose each crew based on the needs of my individual tanks, one of which was fairly small and not especially prone to developing algae. The others, however, had very specific needs and had fairly specific algae issues that needed to be addressed. This is why I was pleased to add the Caribbean Crab Crew to the Caribbean tank I had set up, and to be able to add the Hair Algae Destroyers to the saltwater tank that had multiple issues with hair algae in the past.

There was an almost immediate improvement in the appearance of each one of my tanks after I added the crews, and I have come to really enjoy watching all of the Blue Leg Hermit Crabs go to work each day. The Scarlet Hermit Crabs I introduced into the Caribbean tank have been a wonderful addition and bring something to the tank that I had not realized was missing. All of the crews have thrived in each one of my tanks, and I certainly have not hesitated to recommend Aquarium Depot to all of my fellow saltwater tank enthusiasts.

John Pryor is a strength and conditioning coach for rugby professionals in Australia and around the world.