Snail Waste

[FelixSu]

Recently i started keeping snails. i had 2 turbo snails. and i realised they release loads of excretement.with this, my sand-bed started turning brown really quick.

could this be due to high nitrates level?

after removing both the snails, the growth of diatoms seem to be retarding.

has anyone experienced this before?

should i still keep snails? since they a good clean up crews.

Regards

[iewnehz]

i doubt that snails cause those diatoms or high nitrates...

[kokhui]

I kind of agree that snails may not have caused thoses broening on the sandbed. I have 4 in my 4 footer tank and they are excellent cleaners.

Only one complaint is that they tend to go too near some of my corals!

Overall, quite a joy to have them in my community.

[Jimng]

Recently i started keeping snails. i had 2 turbo snails. and i realised they release loads of excretement.with this, my sand-bed started turning brown really quick.

could this be due to high nitrates level?

after removing both the snails, the growth of diatoms seem to be retarding.

has anyone experienced this before?

should i still keep snails? since they a good clean up crews.

Regards

Diatom bloom are due to silicate in the water (if you use tap water straight for water changes or top-up - RO/DI water will reduce this), after the silicates get used up, the diatom will slow down, snails will graze algae and if they eat, they will surely poo - snails are clean up crew for the reef, some reefers in US use snails and urchins to graze algae and remove their poo for excellent water condition (They dont use sandbed- ). ---Jim

[shiraz]

is your tank new? maybe it's coincidental that your algae phase begins when u just put the snails into your water and when u removed them, your sillicates and all that promotes algae growth, diatoms vanish.. try doing a water change and see if the diatoms return for a short period of time..

i'd reckon it's not the snails..

[nicken]

my snails leaves alot of brown stain on the glass after wherever he goes.

are those thier poo too ?

[shiraz]

do they? i never experienced anything of that sort with mine..

[nicken]

yes, mine does. making the glass so ugly

[FelixSu]

thanks for the replies peeps!

But i realised that the snails leave alot of poo, small pieces of droppings. wouldn't these add to the nitrate levels?