Snail deaths, gross tank

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Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
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Michigan's UP
I have a 20 gallon "nano reef" in the making. It has been set up for 6 months now with only live rock. I added a zebra hermit and a Mexican turbo snail two months ago to help clean up the tank before I start the serious stocking.

The turbo died withing a week, so last Sunday I decided to try again and put another Mexican turbo in the tank. This one died in two days.:irked:

After the first snail died I started dosing calcium because I read that magnesium in-balance would kill snails and calcium would bring it back into balance.

My tank looks like crap, even after 6 months I have diatoms and gross algae everywhere, with hardly any coralline growth. The only life in the tank is the single hermit and the 'pods, etc. that came with the live rock.

I'm using IO salt mix, Kent super buffer DKh, and Seachem calcium. I run Pura Complete in my filter for chemical filtration. After the water change this week (10% each week) I'm going to ditch the Seachem calcium and start using Purple-Up.

Any ideas as to what I can do to get this tank looking good and keep snails alive?:confused:
 
newtothis;1493814; said:
I have a 20 gallon "nano reef" in the making. It has been set up for 6 months now with only live rock. I added a zebra hermit and a Mexican turbo snail two months ago to help clean up the tank before I start the serious stocking.

The turbo died withing a week, so last Sunday I decided to try again and put another Mexican turbo in the tank. This one died in two days.:irked:

<<How did you acclimatize them?>>

After the first snail died I started dosing calcium because I read that magnesium in-balance would kill snails and calcium would bring it back into balance.

<<Stop dosing calcium, its not needed at this stage. The trace elements will get their balance from the salt>>

My tank looks like crap, even after 6 months I have diatoms and gross algae everywhere, with hardly any coralline growth. The only life in the tank is the single hermit and the 'pods, etc. that came with the live rock.

<<What are you current water parameters for nitrate and phosphate? What water source are you using? Tap...RO etc etc>>

I'm using IO salt mix, Kent super buffer DKh, and Seachem calcium. I run Pura Complete in my filter for chemical filtration. After the water change this week (10% each week) I'm going to ditch the Seachem calcium and start using Purple-Up.

<<Stop using all additives. You should not have any need at all to be using them. IO is a basic salt, yes, however, it does do a job..have you tested for hardness of the water? have you tested for calcium?>>

Any ideas as to what I can do to get this tank looking good and keep snails alive?:confused:
Click to expand...


Added some comments above in red..
 
I agree with Reef, stop dosing. Especially if you're not testing. I'd not add anything in a bottle unless you are positive you need it, and in my opinion most new tanks don't need it.

Also, as Reef asked, how are you acclimating the snails? What are your current water parameters?
 
xxt2goodxx;1620896; said:
you cant use tap water... make sure its RO
Click to expand...

i use tap water ...... :D

am i naughty? what problems will i have in the future if i don't use RO water
 
i have a UV sterilizer....does that make any difference?

i tested nitrate in tap water and it is 0...
 
You must be in a very good area then...My nitrates are 25ppm out of the tap....lol..

A UV is not a help because all a UV does is indescriminantly kill off bacteria, good and bad, in the water column and kill free floating algae...Personaly, i dont like nor use them...
 
it came with the tank so i just use it lol ..... i live in the north of england so i know its better than south....i went to sailsbusy their water is yukky! full of limescale
 
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