Snails... Big Ones.

[okpondlady]

I have a 55 gallon tank that I have several bunches of anacharis and a couple of swords that I switch out into my breeder net (to keep them leafy). My snails eat them down to my gravel. I have 2 quite large ones (the pet store guy called them apple snails but they are not golden) and 2 smaller ones about the size of a quarter around. I have a comet, one of the goldfish that looks pregnant, a black koi, and 2 plecos. One of the plecos is really big like 6 inches long.
My set up is..
I have an underwater filter, and yes that pretty dark blue/light blue gravel, 2 powerheads, I have a breeder net that I keep nibbled plants and my few snail babies in. I did have 3 more 3-4 inch koi that were in the tank but I put them in my outside pond last week.
I have had my tank set up for 4 months, my readings are 0 NitrItes, 10 NitrAtes, Ammonia is high like 8.0 or something. Not off the scale but almost. The Ph is 6.8-7. I did a 25%+ water change today after I found a dead snail in the tank. I also added -/+ 5 Tablespoons of aquarium salt after the water change.

What I want is to have a nicely planted aquarium like I see on some of these pages, and I want to have snails also. My husband (who has some aquarium experience) says I can't have both. I can have both in my pond so why not my aquarium?

 

[okpondlady]

I also have a bubble curtain across the back bottom of the tank. I feed the g/f "goldfish nuggets" by HBH and I feed the snails fresh, whole leaf spinach, squash of different varieties, and celery chunks. The baby snails in the breeder net get to munch on my new tender leaves coming up on my munched off roots that the bigger snails ate off before I could catch them.

 

[mr86mister]

Welcome to AA

you're Ammonia is at 8?!?!?! 8O

in your pond, the growth of plants is alot more abundant and they grow much quicker, in your aquarium its a closed ecosystem and things dont go as well in the tank....chime on people...

 

[okpondlady]

Yes I was shocked as well... I told him my tank smells like PEE. That is when I found the dead snail. Would Activated Carbon help? I have some that is loose and I could put it in a knee hi or something and lay on the bottom, so it would be circulated by the underwater filter. Thanks Mr.

Karen

PS, I also removed said dead snail... just thought I'd tell ya, in case you wanted to know.

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA

you're Ammonia is at 8?!?!?! 8O

I'd agree with the shock at the ammonia reading! Do a water change ASAP!!!!

 

[Menagerie]

Wow, numerous water changes are needed ASAP! Ammonia and nitrite should be undectable in a cycled tank (there is an article on cycling in the Articles section). Do a 50% PWC daily for 3 days and then continue with 25% PWC daily until you get down to 0ppm. The dead snail has had a massive impact on the water quality. To me fish tanks smell earthy/like dirt. Since there is a nitrate reading, the tank is/was cycled properly and now you need to get it back in pristine condition. Activated carbon will not remove ammonia, but will help with the smell. Keep in mind that it is only "active" for a few days and will need to be changed weekly. When the tank is better, there is no need for AC.

 

[okpondlady]

I went to the local small pet store in town and the owner gave me Zeolite said it would remove the ammonia. I put in a good sack and the ammonia is already lowered. I did 1/4 water change daily and used Ammonia Lock stuff. Seems better but I will keep checking daily until it is 0ppm.

Thanks for the help.

Karen

 

[greenmaji]

take the sake out and do a big (75-80%) water change.. the Zeolite will make it impossible to cycle the tank..