Quote:
Originally Posted by
LAZARUS http:///t/397852/snails-per-gallon-ratio#post_3547987
I just moved to an LED light system and looking for ways to control algae growth. I thought I had enough snails but a friend said he knows somebody with a similar tank that has 10X my quantity. Made me wonder, what IS the right number of snails?
My tank is 100g and is FOWLR.
Thanks for any advice.
Hi,
If you have algae...add more snails, it isn't rocket science.
If you have
nuisance algae, the reasons are bad water quality, and you need to get that under control. Do water tests for nitrates and phosphates...water changes done with the purest water for mixing your salt is the answer. If you are using tap or well water, it usually leads to poor water quality. Get your own RO/DI unit, and you have to keep up on the filters, or at least go to Walmart or similar grocery store, and get your RO water from a refill station.
I disagree with Carol's blanket statement, more snails do not lead to more algae... if you don't have enough algae for the snails to feed on, they starve. There is more to the CUC (clean up crew) then just snails. Also different snails do different jobs...For example: Nassarius snails hide under the sand stirring it, and feed on wasted fish food, not algae. Serpent or brittle stars, as well as shrimp, feed on the wasted fish food deep in the rocks. You need a well rounded CUC to take care of everything from wasted food, to all different types of algae growth....so less as Carol suggests is not the answer.
