12 replies to this topic

[Delapool]

Hi all, got some mystery snails that I don't think did too well in a tank with co2 injection. In places I can see the outer layer eroded or missing and 'chip' marks into the shell.

Tank is planted community. There are yo yo loaches but the snails have seemed OK with them for months.

Shifted to a small tank, added a cuttlebone and dosing a liquid calcium carbonate. Anything else I can do or missed?

Main tank is gh of 8 and kh of 6. Tap water is 6 for gh and kh from memory. Small tank would be similar.


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[dicky7]

use shell grit for substrate alone and they will be fine

[Delapool]

Thanks for the reply. I'll chase that up - excellent suggestion.


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[dicky7]

for info I was put onto this by Paul from Morley aquariums  if ya want more info give him a call he will happily help you out

[bigjohnnofish]

acidic water eats away at their shell..... if the rate of this is quicker than the snail shells growth you will get degraded shell quality thats weak and chips / breaks easy.... also eats away at the snails foot and then it cant close up when attacked by predators....

 

i'd imagine with co2 added to a tank it increases its acidity...... 

[sydad]

acidic water eats away at their shell..... if the rate of this is quicker than the snail shells growth you will get degraded shell quality thats weak and chips / breaks easy.... also eats away at the snails foot and then it cant close up when attacked by predators....

 

i'd imagine with co2 added to a tank it increases its acidity...... 

 

Correct, and this is just one reason that correct kH levels are so important when using CO2 supplementation, since this controls the pH.

 

Syd.

[Westie]

When I added co2 to an aquarium recently, I took a sample of the tank water to Aquotix, and was advised to add KH buffer (I think?)

Pretty sure this is the buffer I got: http://www.aquariumo...generator-150g/

Rovik was the guy I spoke to

[Delapool]

Thanks all - I'll look into these. Probably spend the rest of their time in the small low-tech tank I suspect but nice to watch them closer up.


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[bigjohnnofish]

When I added co2 to an aquarium recently, I took a sample of the tank water to Aquotix, and was advised to add KH buffer (I think?)

Pretty sure this is the buffer I got: http://www.aquariumo...generator-150g/

Rovik was the guy I spoke to

 

i use nahco3 at the rate of 2 table spoons per 400 litres to raise kh 2 degrees

 

but the buffer in your link is pretty cost effective also.... just hate big priced buffers some shops try to sell you when they really arent needed.... 

[sydad]

Sodium bicarbonate alone is actually a rather poor buffer, and adds too much sodium ion to aquarium water. My preferred buffer is solution containing 6% potassium bicarbonate and 1% sodium carbonate; easy and cheap to make. I use it at 1mL/litre. This raises kH by 50 to 60 ppm depending on water supply..

 

One advantage of this mixture is that it supplies potassium, which benefits plant growth, and of course the sodium is much lower. It goes without saying that no buffer should be continuously added to aquaria to control pH without a water change being effected before adding the buffer. Even so, it will be evident that unless reasonably large water changes are made, both potassium and sodium levels will progressively increase, and it is my experience that this is often the source of undiagnosed problems.

 

Sodium carbonate is also known as washing soda, and is available from most grocery suppliers. Potassium bicarbonate is available from pool chemical suppliers (usually in large bulk supply), or Aquagreen.

 

Syd..

[Delapool]

The shell grit is pretty tempting as the small tank is bare bottom (apart from a decimated algae bed since they have gone in). So I could do that and I assume algae would grow on it and be cleaned off.

Or I could go with liquid or dry calcium carbonate dosing.

I could do both but I'm wondering which would be more effective? I assume in the water column would be?


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[dicky7]

Dela  give paul a call  he wont be there until Sunday usually has Sat off  but im sure he will  tell ya the same  as he told me  Shell grit  ya have nothing to lose plus it is real cheap

[Riggers]

You can always add shell grit to your canister or sump as well