Snails in Refugium

thegrun · 04/25/2009, 08:25 AM

I have set up a refugium for my tank with Chetomorphia growing in it. My nitrates have dropped to zero and my PH night time drop has flattened out. I am getting some algae growing on the sides of the refugium, should I put some snails in there to clean it up or just let it go? I am concerned the snails might eat the chetomorphia, any thoughts?

Sisterlimonpot · 04/25/2009, 08:34 AM

Put them in there I wouldn't worry too much about them dwindling down your chaeto. what size is your fuge?

mg426 · 04/25/2009, 08:43 AM

I have a few in my refugium , they will not bother the chaeto.

thegrun · 04/25/2009, 08:45 AM

Thanks,
The fuge is small (6" x 10" x 14"), it sits behind my 28 Nano.

imcosmokramer · 04/25/2009, 09:26 AM

yeah, they'll leave the chaeto alone. You can put them in there.

Tylt33 · 04/25/2009, 10:26 AM

I have them in mine for exactly the purpose you describe.

reefscape15 · 04/26/2009, 06:01 AM

I keep one Asterea snail and about 3 Nassarius snails in my 2.5gal fuge. The Asterea helps keep the sides kind of clean, and the Nassarius helps keep the sand a tiny bit mixed up. They don't eat chaeto

Aquarist007 · 04/26/2009, 06:59 PM

IMO---they don't really serve a useful purpose in the refugium.
Any algae including the stuff on the glass ---I let grow and grow and grow

That's a key purpose of the refugium

Whys · 04/26/2009, 07:25 PM

I have a fuge of nearly identical dimensions. I haven't put any Chaeto in there yet, just live rock, but will be adding some eventually. Like Capn, I tend to let the turf algae grow. It's useful, adds to the biotope, and pods like it. That said, I few snails in there as well. Not enough to keep things "clean", but just a few small ones for bio-diversity.

04/25/2009, 08:25 AM	#1
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Snails in Refugium I have set up a refugium for my tank with Chetomorphia growing in it. My nitrates have dropped to zero and my PH night time drop has flattened out. I am getting some algae growing on the sides of the refugium, should I put some snails in there to clean it up or just let it go? I am concerned the snails might eat the chetomorphia, any thoughts?

04/25/2009, 08:34 AM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Put them in there I wouldn't worry too much about them dwindling down your chaeto. what size is your fuge? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

04/25/2009, 08:43 AM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	I have a few in my refugium , they will not bother the chaeto. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

04/25/2009, 09:26 AM	#5
imcosmokramer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,709	yeah, they'll leave the chaeto alone. You can put them in there. __________________ You can agree with me, or you can be wrong. You pick.

04/26/2009, 06:01 AM	#7
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I keep one Asterea snail and about 3 Nassarius snails in my 2.5gal fuge. The Asterea helps keep the sides kind of clean, and the Nassarius helps keep the sand a tiny bit mixed up. They don't eat chaeto __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

04/25/2009, 08:45 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Thanks, The fuge is small (6" x 10" x 14"), it sits behind my 28 Nano.

04/25/2009, 10:26 AM	#6
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	I have them in mine for exactly the purpose you describe.

04/26/2009, 06:59 PM	#8
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	IMO---they don't really serve a useful purpose in the refugium. Any algae including the stuff on the glass ---I let grow and grow and grow That's a key purpose of the refugium __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/26/2009, 07:25 PM	#9
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	I have a fuge of nearly identical dimensions. I haven't put any Chaeto in there yet, just live rock, but will be adding some eventually. Like Capn, I tend to let the turf algae grow. It's useful, adds to the biotope, and pods like it. That said, I few snails in there as well. Not enough to keep things "clean", but just a few small ones for bio-diversity.