The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[arconom]

SeanT

Astreas snails,Cerith snails, no hermits?

 

[SeanT]

No hermits.

 

[cecilturtle]

What's the optimal recommended overflow turnover for BB? Assuming there is abundant turnover inside the main tank....

 

[Travis]

What's the optimal recommended overflow turnover for BB? Assuming there is abundant turnover inside the main tank....

Depends on what your skimmer can turn over.

 

[cecilturtle]

Travis,

I have a H&S 200 with 2 pumps that pulls most of the overflowed water and a Euro 5-3 that catches some that bypasses the H&S, but there seems to still be plenty in main tank that is not making it to the overflow. Siphoning daily therefore.

 

[Travis]

My guess is either your rocks are still cleaning themselves (most likely) or you may not have enough flow to keep the detritus from settling.

 

[arconom]

SeanT

What is the norm per say of Astreas and Ceriths? I have a 75 gallon tank. I will be ordering this week or next week. I'm not sure if the 1 per gallon a rule applies?

 

[Travis]

IMO, 1 astrea and 3 ceriths per gallon. Or should I have said IBO (In Bomber's Opinion).:lol: Anyways, that is what I went with and have been pleased with the results.

 

[wastememphis]

260 snails seems like alot for a 65gallon tank doesn't it??????

Travis: do you have over 1100 snails???

neil.

edit: what bout the mini blue legged hermits on www.keyscritters.com??

 

[Mislav]

How many gallons would 1100 snails push out of tank? :rollface:

 

[wastememphis]

depends on how big the snails are I bet not a gallon but maybe? It's probably more than I can grasp a concept of, though. Imagine how much they weigh, in all.

 

[SeanT]

Erik,
I use a 1:2 ratio (astrea's to cerith's).
For your tank (especially since you cooked your rocks and cleaned them up so well) I would start with 50 A's and 100 C's.
You can always add more.
Sean

 

[Travis]

Travis: do you have over 1100 snails???
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Yes I do actually. I can't remember the exact number I ordered when I set my tank up but it was around 300 astreas and 900 ceriths. May have been less ceriths. Maybe more like 600-700 but still quite a few.

 

[Konadog]

What is the snail attrition rate here, is there actually enough for all of them to eat?

 

[Bryan89]

Travis - Do the snails have enough to eat?

 

[SeanT]

What is the snail attrition rate here, is there actually enough for all of them to eat?

Ken,
This is where it is more guess work than science.
I don't advise to start small when adding snails but not large either.
This way, if there isn't enough chow for the snails only a few will be lost.
You can tell shortly if there aren't enough snails and more can be added easily.
Sean

 

[Konadog]

Thanks Sean. I can just see adding 1200 snails only to find 800 shells two months later. I don't think I have ever had over 40 snails at one time in my 100. Can you elaborate on how you can tell if you don't have enough, again, I know it's not a science.

 

[SeanT]

Can you elaborate on how you can tell if you don't have enough, again, I know it's not a science.

Your rocks and plumbing will get fuzzy.

 

[fishdoc11]

Gotta hate that fuzzy plumbing

 

[Travis]

I have lost probably 20 or so astreas since adding them a year ago. It is harder to tell how many ceriths because they are small and can fall into the rock crevices when they die. I would guess that I've lost 40-60 ceriths. Not sure why they would die though, because they can live on detritus and there is always some detritus to be eaten.