Question- Can you add SW calcium mix to a FW tank?

[jasno999]

My girlfriend has a tank with some snails in it. So do I actually. And well I also have a SW tank that I have calcuim supplement for. I know that even FW snails need calcuim as well as other trace elements to live and build healthy shells.

So I was wondering if I could add some of my calcuim supplement to a FW tank???? WOuld that be ok or would it hurt the fish in the FW tank by changing the water chemistry?????

My other idea is to use egg shells.

 

[Gena575]

Many people do add Kents or Seachem's Reef calcium to their snail tanks. The most common dosage is 1 drop per gallon per day from what I've read. Others add it at half the recommended sw dosage or even full sw dosage. A good place for snail information is www.applesnail.net

 

[Devilishturtles]

Regular water changes should be all you need to keep proper levels without dosing anything. Tap water usually contains enough trace elements to sustain the shells. Unless you soften your water, use ro/di, or have heavily treated water, I see no need to dose calcium.

HTH

 

[fish_4_all]

I raised about 35 ramshorn snails without adding anything but veggies and they didn't have any signs of any problems with their shells. I just gave them some romain lettuce once a week and they were more than happy, and reproduced like they were last ones on the planet.

 

[An t-iasg]

One serving (about one cup) of romaine lettuce contains 16 mg calcium. I'm not suggesting to put a whole cup of lettuce in your tank! A piece of romaine lettuce once a week or so is probably enough calcium for the snails, as you've seen, fish_4_all. Our tapwater is fairly hard - I get a bit of a white residue on my glass top - so tap water is a good source of calcium for the snails too, unless you treat it somehow like DT said.