turbo snails

[seschaefer]

I was wondering what i need in my tank to keep mexican turbo snails. I was trying to figure out if my tank is ready for them. My tank has been done cycling for about a month now. I have:
about six pounds live rock... soon to be getting more, money is an issue.
3 inches of ls
3 damsels, yellow tail, domino and three stripe
5 tuxedo hermit crabs.
i don't have lights yet but i am going to be buying the 65 watt pc lighting i think they are coralife from hellolights. I should get them within the next couple of weeks.

 

[beckzilla]

It looks like you have everything you need. I have one and it moves around on the LR.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
I don't really understand your set-up. I'm assuming you cycled your tank with the damsels, but you don't have ANY lights?
Dan'l

 

[seschaefer]

well, i have the room lights, but the lights that came with the hood died and i can't figure out why. I do not want to get money invested into fixing that since i am going to have my new lights within the next month
it gets regular sun light also.

 

[ivanfj]

I hope you would take the damsels out or else you won't be able to add anymore fish coz of their behavior. I ran my tank with no lights for about 2+ months back in the summer and the only good thing about it I found was that it had no algae at all.

 

[ohioreef]

I bought 2 Mexican Turbos after my tank cycled. My LR was totally covered in alagae and after 2 days the turbos have it almost completely cleaned. Just need them to start on the glass.
Gary

 

[seschaefer]

yeah, i plan on getting rid of them when i get home from school this summer. There definatley isn't any algae. I was just wondering if there is going to be enough for the turbos to eat since i have no algea.. Will i need to replace algaed wiht sea weed or something like that?

 

[flydan]

Hey,
Does your tank get direct sunlight? If so you will have serious algae problems no matter how many snails you get. You might also have heating/cooling problems.
Once you have your lights going you wont have to worry about feeding a turbo or two or three. They are scanvangers and will find food by cleaning your tank. If you give them free food why would they work?
Anyway, I would probably wait until your lights are up and running for a while before getting snails. You should be able to look at your lr and glass ect. and be able to tell when its time.
HTH,
Dan'l

 

[seschaefer]

thanks for the replies, it does not get direct sunlight, it is away from a window and gets the smalles amounts of natural sunlight i can give it
For the lighting situation i want to run two 24 inch 75 watt VHO bulbs. I was looking into ballasts and found the workhorse series they have the 6 which is 140 watts, and the 7 which i think is 220. WHiich one should i use? OR if you can recommend anything else.