Nitrate Level for Snails?

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CCXGT

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I'm looking to pick up a few Trochus Snails as algae's have started to take over.

I was wondering if 20ppm Nitrates would be considered too high for them.

Cheers.


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Adding livestock isn't going to help your algae issues, the excess nutrients are feeding the algae. Get your nitrates down below 5ppm and your phosphates below .05 and you'll starve the algae out. More livestock is just going to add nutrients when your already having nutrient issues. What size tank, stocking, maintenance, using ro/di?

But to answer your question, yes 20ppm is to high for snails too, I would say anything over 10ppm is way to high, 5 and down is the sweet spot IME.

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Adding livestock isn't going to help your algae issues, the excess nutrients are feeding the algae. Get your nitrates down below 5ppm and your phosphates below .05 and you'll starve the algae out. More livestock is just going to add nutrients when your already having nutrient issues. What size tank, stocking, maintenance, using ro/di?

But to answer your question, yes 20ppm is to high for snails too, I would say anything over 10ppm is way to high, 5 and down is the sweet spot IME.

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Right... I KNOW that you're a very passionate believer in pristine water conditions.

But in all honesty.. I'm not looking to keep an SPS dominated tank, I know it won't be perfect or anywhere near perfect for quite a while.

I'm still trying to get the grasp of things.

I've been reading A LOT of threads and message boards on the exact same topic, a huge amount of them contain people who, for the majority of the time, are saying that 20ppm isn't something that they'd even worry about.

I'm not saying that I want to keep it at that level, but for now, the Trates have been spot on 20ppm every time I've tested, at least it's consistent.

Phosphate has been stuck at 0.25ppm but this is using API's test... So god knows what it ACTUALLY is.


It's a 1.5month old 10G, stocked with a single small Perc, multiple Mushrooms, 2 Hermits and a Trochus, (I got the minuscule CUC yesterday).

I've been performing 15-20% water changes every couple days but plan on 1 a week in the future.

I use LFS bought RO (which I've just tested for Trates, it's at 0ppm).

I'm using LFS bought pre-mixed salt (until I get around to mixing my own), they use standard Tropic Marin salt (could this be a cause of Trates?)


Also, one last thing, aren't Diatoms and Algae's one of the signs of a new tank that's going well?
This is again, what I've been told.


Sorry if I've rambled on.


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Also, one last thing, aren't Diatoms and Algae's one of the signs of a new tank that's going well?
This is again, what I've been told.

No. Diatoms are a part of the 'life stage' of a maturing tank. It is telling you that there are silicates in the sand and rock. Once the silicates are gone, so are the diatoms.

When it comes to algae, it isn't a sign of things going well either. It is a sign of there being nitrates and phosphates in the water column. Just by looking at the readings you are giving, the nitrates and phosphates aren't a huge concern...but it is still pointing to the fact you are feeding too much. Just cut back and the numbers will as well.

The concept of a clean up crew is almost laughable at times. Do I have hermits and snails and such in my tank? Yes, because I enjoy watching them. They are just another eating/pooping creature in your tank. Just because they eat uneaten food or poop doesn't mean that the nitrates will simply vanish. It still needs to be pulled out of the water column by skimming, filtration, or water changes. All these little guys do is make sure that there isn't a huge pile of decaying matter in the back of your tank you aren't aware of.
 
Why keep animals in sub par conditions when it's an easy thing for you to lower the level to something acceptable? It's a matter of 2 wc's on your 10, it's not that hard. 2 changes of 50% would get your numbers down and cost like $10, it's just that easy in a nano.


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No. Diatoms are a part of the 'life stage' of a maturing tank. It is telling you that there are silicates in the sand and rock. Once the silicates are gone, so are the diatoms.

When it comes to algae, it isn't a sign of things going well either. It is a sign of there being nitrates and phosphates in the water column. Just by looking at the readings you are giving, the nitrates and phosphates aren't a huge concern...but it is still pointing to the fact you are feeding too much. Just cut back and the numbers will as well.

The concept of a clean up crew is almost laughable at times. Do I have hermits and snails and such in my tank? Yes, because I enjoy watching them. They are just another eating/pooping creature in your tank. Just because they eat uneaten food or poop doesn't mean that the nitrates will simply vanish. It still needs to be pulled out of the water column by skimming, filtration, or water changes. All these little guys do is make sure that there isn't a huge pile of decaying matter in the back of your tank you aren't aware of.


In regards to the feeding.

I have cut my feeding schedule in half.

Now feeding for 1 day and starving for 2.


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Why keep animals in sub par conditions when it's an easy thing for you to lower the level to something acceptable? It's a matter of 2 wc's on your 10, it's not that hard. 2 changes of 50% would get your numbers down and cost like $10, it's just that easy in a nano.


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Yes I'm aware of that.

But after a 25% water change with NO effect on the Trates, this is what led me to thinking it may be something other than the livestock.

I'll do another 25% tomorrow and see what's what.


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25% is only going to drop you to around 15ppm (which if your using an api test is probably why your seeing no change). 2 big changes will get you where you want to be, then the 25% weekly will probably be enough, but you gotta get the number down first


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25% is only going to drop you to around 15ppm (which if your using an api test is probably why your seeing no change). 2 big changes will get you where you want to be, then the 25% weekly will probably be enough, but you gotta get the number down first


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So you suggest 50% daily until it drops to <10?


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I would do 1 large change and go from there. The nice thing is in your case is that large water changes for a small tank like yours are easy and cheap to do. I think a 50% would be a good start, personally, because the math is easy to know where your nitrate level will be.
 
Well.. 50% w/c done.



I do have a question on the hermits though, in the LFS these were labelled as Red Legged Hermits, but I've noticed their yellow antennae which is making me question whether or not they're actually Scarlett Reef Hermits..



Any idea?


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Well..

It's now somewhere between 5-10ppm.

I guess I'll keep it stable at this level.


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