Snail LifeSpan

[MrsHaggis]

OK, so if I was to wash the food how would i go about it exactly?

I have a little bucket thing with gauze on it - apparently for washing food. I cannot wash it in tap water I guess - tank water??

My intelligent guess is that I put the food into the bucket thing and wash it with tank water and then stick it in the tank.....sound good?

 

[Toddrtrex]

While the nitrates aren't helping, IMO a 16 gallon most likely have enough algae for 1 turbo, let alone 3.

Once in a while I will move one of mine from my 75 to my 33, after being in there for about 2 weeks it starts to slow down -- all visible algae is gone --- I move it back to my 75, with plenty of algae, and it perks right back up. The water in both the tanks test the same, and have no issues with inverts.

Edit; and my turbos (( have 3 of them )) are over 2 years old.

 

[Korrine]

I would imagine that sounds about right. Some sort of strainer with small enough holes that the food won't rinse right through. I would use tank water or r/o water.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14878949#post14878949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Korrine
I would imagine that sounds about right. Some sort of strainer with small enough holes that the food won't rinse right through. I would use tank water or r/o water.

use a small brine shrimp net---there about 4 bucks here.

 

[Aquarist007]

using water changes to reduce nitrates is only a temporary fix---it you don't locate the source of importing them then the level of them returns very quickly

overfeeding and not rinsing foods are a big source of nitrates

How much live rock do you have in your tank and do you know where you purchased it.
You should have at least a pound per gallon in there of quality live rock that is very porous.
This is the most effective way of nitrate reduction

Nitrates can also be reduced by chaeto macro---you could easily use the soap dish on the right in this picture and fit it in your tank

Carbon bacteria also reduce nitrates as one of the reason for vodka dosing but you don't want to do that in such a small tank
Rather I would cut out the frequency of water changes as you might be stripping the water of these useful bacteria.

 

[Salamander]

Some types of turbos are from temperate waters. They don't last long in our warm tanks. As long as they keep dieing, we keep buying, the market stays strong and the cycle continues.

 

[MrsHaggis]

Where do the nitrates come from?
I don't know.......there are only two fish in the tank so it cannot be the bio-load. I have about 15 kilos of live rock - which works out at about 1 pound or 1.5 pounds per gallon. I don't know where it came from.

I am not stopping the water changes until I get the nitrates down to very close to 0 so that I have a platform from which to start.

I have no idea what chaeto is called here or where I can get it but I will start to do some research.

 

[TellyFish]

My Mexican Turbos didnt last more than a year or two. On the other hand, my Astraea Turbo Snails and Nassarius Snails are going on 4 years. I have just placed an order to restock my snails/crabs from the original setup in 06, so they should deff. last longer than a few months.

Perhaps you have an unseen predator? Crab? Euclid worm? Probably unlikely in 16 gallons. Seems like nitrate problem is more likely. Phosphates? My shrimp would not last long before I got my nitrates/phosphates in-check.

 

[MrsHaggis]

Phosphates are at 0.

Shrimp and crabs are impossible to keep - I have tried and failed twice. Due to the nitrates. I still have 2 healthy snails. But I also believe that the lack of food might have something to do with it too. The tank is spotless - there is no algae bloom at all - I'm not sure what the 2 remaining snails are actually eating.

 

[TellyFish]

How do you know your phosphates are at dead 0?

The fact that you have no algae is supportive of the 0 phosphates... perhaps then a lack of food could be the culprit.

My phosphates are kept low with a reactor, but I know it is not at 0 because I still have some minor algae growth which I like.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14883702#post14883702 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TellyFish
How do you know your phosphates are at dead 0?

The fact that you have no algae is supportive of the 0 phosphates... perhaps then a lack of food could be the culprit.

My phosphates are kept low with a reactor, but I know it is not at 0 because I still have some minor algae growth which I like.

that's actually a similar situation to me---with having to scape nuisance algae of the glass but zero readings on phosphates and nitrates.
It can mean that the nitrates and phosphates are being used up as quickly as they are introduced----a very good situation IMO

 

[TellyFish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14883749#post14883749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
with having to scape nuisance algae of the glass but zero readings on phosphates and nitrates.
It can mean that the nitrates and phosphates are being used up as quickly as they are introduced----a very good situation IMO

Agreed. I believe low phosphates are better than none.