Water parameters for nerite snail

[FuzzyMuffin]

I've decided to add a horned nerite snail to my planted 5gal, betta tank (she's friendly and will leave him be ) However, I need to know how to raise my gH.

These are my water parameters;
pH- 8.2
kH- 20
gH- 1
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate- 0ppm
Temp- 75

As you can see, my water is incredibly soft. I need to know how to add calcium to the tank without effecting my other parameters. I heard that adding cuttlebone to tank can be helpful. Will that be enough calcium for him? Do I need to worry about magnesium?

 

[dalto]

A KH of 20 and a GH of 1 is uncommon. Are you sure your water is not going through a water softener in your house?

 

[FuzzyMuffin]

A KH of 20 and a GH of 1 is uncommon. Are you sure your water is not going through a water softener in your house?

Actually, it is going through a water softener. I need to use our softened water because it's also attached to our water heater. I temp match the water before adding it to my tank. I'd use my hard water if I could (gH of 20) but it's just too cold.

Perhaps I should be doing a ratio of the two?

 

[dalto]

Water that has been through a water softener is always a tough subject.

I suspect you would fine to just use it the way it is. Water that has been through your softener is not truly soft water in the traditional sense. I would just keep an eye on the snails. If it is too soft the shells will start to visibly erode. If that happens you will need to increase the hardness.

 

[FuzzyMuffin]

Water that has been through a water softener is always a tough subject.

I suspect you would fine to just use it the way it is. Water that has been through your softener is not truly soft water in the traditional sense. I would just keep an eye on the snails. If it is too soft the shells will start to visibly erode. If that happens you will need to increase the hardness.

That makes me a little uncomfortable. I'd feel better preventing a problem instead of fixing it later. I use an API test kit to test my parameters, and if it says there's little gH that means there is little calcium and magnesium, correct?

Maybe you could explain in more detail as to why you think it'd be okay, so I can decide to add calcium or not? And if I do leave it and the shells start to erode, how do you suggest I increase the hardness?

 

[dalto]

Water that passes through a water softener has low gh but high TDS. It is not like any water that occurs in nature. In my experience dealing with fish it is more like hard water than soft water. However, snails are a different and I don't really know what their shells need to keep from eroding.

To increase the GH you have a few options.

You could certainly mix in tap water that hasn't passed through the softener with hot water from the tap.

You could also add epson salt to your water. This would increase the magnesium. Alternatively you could add calcium.

I don't really have enough info on snails to provide a definitive answer so hopefully someone more snail knowledgeable will come along.

 

[FuzzyMuffin]

Alright, well thank you for the info, it's been helpful, even if you can't be certain.

 

[shellyx]

You could try using cuttlebone for your snail it could help his shell. Just break a piece off and drop it in your tank. Your betta will be fine with this as well.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[FuzzyMuffin]

You could try using cuttlebone for your snail it could help his shell. Just break a piece off and drop it in your tank. Your betta will be fine with this as well.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Would it work it I put a few pieces in the filter? Or do they literally go and consume it when the cuttlebone is in the tank?

 

[shellyx]

I usually just break a piece off and stick part of it in the substrate leaving a piece sticking out as my snail's like to graze on it.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Linwood]

Any chance your water doesn't go through the softener where it goes to outside faucets. You may be better off to use it there, if so.

 

[cfosgate]

I use crushed coral in a media bag in my filter. It needs to be replaced about every 12 months or so.