Post by 1mysterygirl on Oct 2, 2020 0:38:22 GMT -5
I'm hoping you guys can help me with creating the best conditions for keeping MYSTERY SNAILS, mainly:
• how to best raise and maintain consistent levels of GH (and KH)
• lighting requirments
I bred them for a few years and with large numbers in small tanks it was a constant job of testing, supplementing, and water changes to keep levels, especially the GH up. I now want to keep just @25 in a 55g, and want to create the right conditions to grow them with healthy shells etc..as naturally as possible without the expense of chemicals, and with once a week maintenance.
I haven't been able to find info on what the ideal GH/KH levels would be. Any idea about this? I do know my tap water at GH 6 - KH 5 - PH 7.6 is low and I've been raising it to approx. GH 14 - KH 7 - PH 8 using Seachem's MINERALIZE (GH for plants-calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride) and CARBONATE (KH for plants - potassium bicarbonate).
Re: GH
My plan for the new 55g has been to have a bin under the cabinet prepping water for the next water change, to provide consistency plus because of the large shift in PH. I'd hoped running a filter with aragonite in it would work but I've seen now it's too slow to dissolve. I have read Carl's article about the best sources citing this and also suggesting Araga-might?, but my searches suggest this product is no longer available. So my question is can you suggest what would work? I know CaribSea's cichlid substrate is supposed to buffer to 8.2, but I've heard it doesn't always. Maybe this in combination with something else?
Re: Lighting
Can you tell me if they need UVB lighting in order to make Vitamin D to metabolize calcium? It's another aspect I haven't been able to find good info on, but there's a huge problem I've been seeing in my snails and I wonder if the reason is poor lighting. Many develop splits in their shell, some serious enough it eventually leads to death. These are not just clefts from an injury at the edge, it just opens at the top layer of shell. A snail I bought in July already has a hairline crack right around it's shell., which will expand if the cause isn't fixed. I've suspected over-feeding as well. Any thoughts on this? If it is UVB that's needed, would a reptile light be the right thing?
Guys, I really appreciate any thoughts and suggestions you can give me on this; I'm determined to get it right somehow.
• how to best raise and maintain consistent levels of GH (and KH)
• lighting requirments
I bred them for a few years and with large numbers in small tanks it was a constant job of testing, supplementing, and water changes to keep levels, especially the GH up. I now want to keep just @25 in a 55g, and want to create the right conditions to grow them with healthy shells etc..as naturally as possible without the expense of chemicals, and with once a week maintenance.
I haven't been able to find info on what the ideal GH/KH levels would be. Any idea about this? I do know my tap water at GH 6 - KH 5 - PH 7.6 is low and I've been raising it to approx. GH 14 - KH 7 - PH 8 using Seachem's MINERALIZE (GH for plants-calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride) and CARBONATE (KH for plants - potassium bicarbonate).
Re: GH
My plan for the new 55g has been to have a bin under the cabinet prepping water for the next water change, to provide consistency plus because of the large shift in PH. I'd hoped running a filter with aragonite in it would work but I've seen now it's too slow to dissolve. I have read Carl's article about the best sources citing this and also suggesting Araga-might?, but my searches suggest this product is no longer available. So my question is can you suggest what would work? I know CaribSea's cichlid substrate is supposed to buffer to 8.2, but I've heard it doesn't always. Maybe this in combination with something else?
Re: Lighting
Can you tell me if they need UVB lighting in order to make Vitamin D to metabolize calcium? It's another aspect I haven't been able to find good info on, but there's a huge problem I've been seeing in my snails and I wonder if the reason is poor lighting. Many develop splits in their shell, some serious enough it eventually leads to death. These are not just clefts from an injury at the edge, it just opens at the top layer of shell. A snail I bought in July already has a hairline crack right around it's shell., which will expand if the cause isn't fixed. I've suspected over-feeding as well. Any thoughts on this? If it is UVB that's needed, would a reptile light be the right thing?
Guys, I really appreciate any thoughts and suggestions you can give me on this; I'm determined to get it right somehow.
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