Snail Poop

[Reefdiver77]

My 20 L prop tank is bare bottomed. I have about 5 lbs liverock in the sump (2+months). I was having a brown algae outbreak about a month or so back an put 2 mexican turbos, a couple of other snails and red legged hermits in the tank. They do a great job of keeping down the algae, but as a result leave all sorts of little presents on the bare bottom, all one one side of the tank. I try and suction this out. It is not easy to get under the rack to do this, however. Plus, when you get down in there to siphon, it gets stirred up and you do not get all of it out. I do stir it up often hoping that the skimmer will get some of it out. All parameters are good except nitrates of 10. I know this is probably because of the snail poop. Should I put sand in and get some nacirrius (sp??) snails? Suggestions?? TIA. Vicki

 

[sperry]

Increase the flow along the bottom so the poop stays in the water column long enough to be filtered out.

 

[Reefdiver77]

Thanks Scott. I had gone ahead and put a powerhead in there along the bottom and viola, no more snail poop!!

 

[Rendos]

you don't have to run that pump all the time either. just a couple hours a day to get the collected stuff back up. If temp is an issue that is.

 

[joeycadre]

isn't snail poop a good coral food?