Newbie Advice needed

[Colacoke]

I currently have a 10gallon and I need advice on how many snails should i put? I have a 1 inch sandbed and a small diatom bloom from cycling.

 

Next, I have two submersible thermometers for my tank however both show two different readings so I don't even know which one is correct. That brings me to my next question, are those cheap thermometers from LFS reliable? maybe can send me a pic of yours too! cheers!

 

 

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[Xtraster]

Hi colacoke,

i know there are some articles out there to recommend how many snails per gallon tank but personally, I placed 5 snails ( 3 sea star n 2 banded torches) in my tank when I started out a 2 ft all in one tank... 1 died within 6 months but now... they have multiplied to 20 over in a year's time... Guess my tank has good food (algae) for them... 

dont think there is a rule... place an amount you are comfortable with in your tank... you can always add more clean up crew (different snails or invert) along the way if you need more of them.

as for temperature measurement differences... how big a difference is it? What concerns do you have? Are you using a chiller or fan or none? 

I used a mercury in glass with salinity check when I first started and it is the cheap one... then I depended on the chiller temperature reading after I ended Cycling and begin stocking corals.

to act as a check... I added a caperplus (ph cum digital termperature meter) subsequently. I still place the cheap mercury in glass thermometer TOGETHER with caperplus now and both definitely show different temperature AND all 3 (caperplus, chiller and mercury in glass) showed different temperatures within 1 degree range which I'm comfortable without any concern. Usually chiller temp and the tank water difference is about 0.5 degrees.

just sharing... let's hear from other seniors here...

 

[Colacoke]

Hi colacoke,
i know there are some articles out there to recommend how many snails per gallon tank but personally, I placed 5 snails ( 3 sea star n 2 banded torches) in my tank when I started out a 2 ft all in one tank... 1 died within 6 months but now... they have multiplied to 20 over in a year's time... Guess my tank has good food (algae) for them... 
dont think there is a rule... place an amount you are comfortable with in your tank... you can always add more clean up crew (different snails or invert) along the way if you need more of them.
as for temperature measurement differences... how big a difference is it? What concerns do you have? Are you using a chiller or fan or none? 
I used a mercury in glass with salinity check when I first started and it is the cheap one... then I depended on the chiller temperature reading after I ended Cycling and begin stocking corals.
to act as a check... I added a caperplus (ph cum digital termperature meter) subsequently. I still place the cheap mercury in glass thermometer TOGETHER with caperplus now and both definitely show different temperature AND all 3 (caperplus, chiller and mercury in glass) showed different temperatures within 1 degree range which I'm comfortable without any concern. Usually chiller temp and the tank water difference is about 0.5 degrees.
just sharing... let's hear from other seniors here...
 

Hi, thank you for your response. I will probably start small with the snails and then go up. Thinking of nassaurius and astreas.

As for the temperature issue, I have one from the chiller probe and one digital one i bought from the LFS and one shows 27 and one shows 29. I know it is only a small difference but i just want to know which temperature is more accurate, which i assume should be from the chiller probe(because its more expensive?) But thanks a lot mate.


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[Xtraster]

The chiller probe and tank water will have difference due to heat gain from surrounding along the way from chiller to tank... the greater the distance between chiller n tank plays a part and also if tank is placed near a heat source like window.

I see your concern now as 2 degree difference is not small in my opinion...

I would first make sure both readings move in tandem, meaning both have same increase of 1 degree when chiller is at rest and both show same 1 degree drop when the chiller is running. This is to show both temperature probe is working.

Next I would borrow or get another temperature measuring device to verify the accuracy of your tank temperature.

Just a suggestion if you are concern...