Snails Dying Off

fatdaddy · 12/06/2008, 05:35 PM

I started a thread a few weeks ago about my snails hitting the sand, but I'm really starting to worry now. It seems that my snails are dying off at an alarming rate.

The only thing I can think of is my nitrates that I found to be over a 100ppm. I few water changes later I have it down to a 100ppm exactly. When do inverts start to die from nitrates?

Anything else I should check on?

jenglish · 12/06/2008, 05:44 PM

hmm.... I don't know the exact number that snails would start to die off, but thats way higher than is really safe to maintain even a FO tank. Even FO I wouldn't want to run above 40 ppm

WaterKeeper · 12/06/2008, 05:51 PM

Nope the nitrates are the problem. You may consider a DSB or a fuge growing lots of macro algae. For the time being the only solution is large water changes. Be prepared for algae problems in the near future if you don't lower them PDQ.

fatdaddy · 12/06/2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Nope the nitrates are the problem. You may consider a DSB or a fuge growing lots of macro algae. For the time being the only solution is large water changes. Be prepared for algae problems in the near future if you don't lower them PDQ.

I thought I was doing great because I have no algae. I think proof that phosphates are the trouble with hair algae. And, that some surveillance testing is a good idea.

jenglish · 12/07/2008, 11:05 AM

how much and how often do you change your water? What is your source for water? What skimming or filtration do you use? What all is in the tanK? How much do you feed and how often?

You don't neccasarily have to answer these questions to me, just questions to ask yourself. Or feel free to sahre them and someone can see where the issue is arising from. In general I don't like to see nitrates over 40 for FO/FOWLR or over 5 (preferably 0) for reef tanks. And those are numbers for right before my scheduled w/c. Right before a w/c is the peak nutrient load and gives the best estimate of worst case scenario IMO.

Algae is only one indicator of water quality. In theory you could keep your tank w/o light and it would not get algae regardless of water quality.

Good luck and happy reefing

12/06/2008, 05:35 PM	#1
fatdaddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeast Florida Posts: 1,191	Snails Dying Off I started a thread a few weeks ago about my snails hitting the sand, but I'm really starting to worry now. It seems that my snails are dying off at an alarming rate. The only thing I can think of is my nitrates that I found to be over a 100ppm. I few water changes later I have it down to a 100ppm exactly. When do inverts start to die from nitrates? Anything else I should check on? __________________ "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle

12/06/2008, 05:44 PM	#2
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	hmm.... I don't know the exact number that snails would start to die off, but thats way higher than is really safe to maintain even a FO tank. Even FO I wouldn't want to run above 40 ppm __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

12/06/2008, 05:51 PM	#3
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Nope the nitrates are the problem. You may consider a DSB or a fuge growing lots of macro algae. For the time being the only solution is large water changes. Be prepared for algae problems in the near future if you don't lower them PDQ. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

12/07/2008, 11:05 AM	#5
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	how much and how often do you change your water? What is your source for water? What skimming or filtration do you use? What all is in the tanK? How much do you feed and how often? You don't neccasarily have to answer these questions to me, just questions to ask yourself. Or feel free to sahre them and someone can see where the issue is arising from. In general I don't like to see nitrates over 40 for FO/FOWLR or over 5 (preferably 0) for reef tanks. And those are numbers for right before my scheduled w/c. Right before a w/c is the peak nutrient load and gives the best estimate of worst case scenario IMO. Algae is only one indicator of water quality. In theory you could keep your tank w/o light and it would not get algae regardless of water quality. Good luck and happy reefing __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry