what type of snail did i buy?

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 09:20 PM

being to stubborn to use chemicals to rid my slime algea problem on my sand bed, i purchased two golfball sized snails that burrow under the sand.

i can't remember for the life of me what the names of these snails are... the lfs chick told me... but i my feeble mind cant retain to much information...

if a picture is absolutly necessary i will sift through the sand tomarrow to find them...

but does anybody know off hand a snail of this size that lives under the sand like this...

thanx ahead!!!

sir_dudeguy · 11/19/2006, 09:59 PM

the only thing i can think of that is that big and burrows is a conch...but those get too big for a 55 (unless they're fighting conches) and should be taken out imo..

oh, and by the way...i dont think you're "stubborn" to not use chemicals

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 10:02 PM

well they are doing a great job at stiring my 4-5 inch sand bed... which no matter what i do will gradually blanket with red, and brown slime algea..

they seem to be doing a good job...

i'll keep it posted when i get to the fish store, and find out exactly what i have...

thanx guys

sir_dudeguy · 11/19/2006, 10:39 PM

well if your sand is continually getting algae of all those sorts on it it means that you've got a problem and adding these guys isnt going to stop it...it may stop the affects of the problem, sure, but its still there. Algae uses nitrates and phosphates to grow, so check those, and check total dissolved solids while you're at it.

reefD · 11/19/2006, 10:48 PM

i can only give you my best advice. algea on sand/ substrate is from a new tank , water source filled with nutrients.(yeah tap can be a problem as it has phos and algea luvs phos.) or over load of stoock thus ammonia spikes. also consider silicates from substrate but this only occurs in new tanks.. adding a snail wont help stop it and later may increase. the plan is to strip nutrients. like above post ...reef tanks should have zero levels and any signs of spikes are ussually flagged by algea. but a new tank goes through this as it cycles. test your levels consider your tank age and bioload. are you adding alot to your tank?r u trying to get it at max bioload? thats a bad plan. let us know how old this set up is and whats in it. if your tank is under a year its normal as your going too fast. stop adding anything until this is gone. only do water changes every 4 weeks and let it be....it will cycle faster this way and become better at resisting a recycle or spike of ammonia. if your tank really cycled you shouldnt have any levels of ammonia .

ACBlinky · 11/19/2006, 10:50 PM

You may have a conch, or she may have sold you a whelk - the only way to know is if you can get a decent picture of the snail and post it. I have a 1" whelk that's beautiful and makes a neat pet (fun to feed, it's kind of like a gigantic nassarius), but I've bannished it to the sump because it's a species that will prey on clams, given the chance. There are a few teeny clams that hitchhiked in on my LR that aren't gorgeous but they're interesting to watch and I'd like to keep them. I may also get a Tridacnid clam in the future, so the whelk can't stay in the display, but it seems happy enough with its own little sandbed to patrol in the sump

.

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 10:55 PM

i don't have a test kit for phosphates.... but my nitrates and nirtrites are unreadable...

i just moved, and when i did... i only used 25 gallons of the old water... and 30 new salt water mix...

i only have one damsel and one seabea clown for fish...

one serpent star...

green star polyp coral, xenia, and that's it...

i don't see a high bio load there?

i am going to stop using flake food, and today purchased lifeline...

.... if the problem will eventually pass, then why would it be a bad idea to add these snails for a temp fix? to only have the problem fix itself eventually?

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 11:00 PM

and i don't think it's a conch... not that i'm a expert, but i didn't see any eyes...

and the shell is round, without the spiral tip, and no lip that protrudes the shell...

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:20 PM

when you moved you caused a recycle and this is the result. stay stead fast but you must not add any more stock coral/invert and fish included. your top off water source is what? RO, distilled or tap? this is important to know before i can diagnoise the issue. one year old isnt stable in my oppinion. especially when new to the hobby. do you dose filter food? if so stop. phosphates can be from water source, over feeding, excess waste, decaying material , and some coral foods.

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:22 PM

answer this.
1 when did you move and re set up? date please.
2- whats your water source?
3-whats your filtration? skimmer/sump,etc
5-what do you feed your fish and how often?
6-how often do you do water changes?

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 11:28 PM

1. i think the date was the 4th of october

2. RO water

3. i run a canister filter with no media... i just put live rock rubble in the trays... and i can't remember the name of the skimmer... it's that one with instant ocean's name on it...

4 I have been feeding for the past month flake food, (not a normal i left it out of the fridge all day awhile back) but i just purchased lifeline... the green kinda with algea supplments and i feed 2 times a week, very small portions...

5. i slack on water changes... once every other month

hope this helps

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:35 PM

once every other month can be the cause. a tank that is established consumes ammonia and changes it to nitrites....which then feeds nitrates. nitrates continue to rise until removed by water change or consumed by algea. every four weeks is needed as the nitrates get high at this point. be stricked about this or youll never have success in salt! also test ph in middle of night any swings is bad!

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:40 PM

ur skimmer could be insuffiecient too. with out a brand name or model number i cant tell. but anyways skimmers should be well paid for as trhis is the heart of a tanks filtration.
again if you dont know the brand and model number i will conclude that your skimmer is bad and need to be replaced asap. the canister isnt doing nothing but collecting debri. this is another source of nitrates . so clean it often of debri! this is the stuff that settles on the bottom. good luck and happy to help.

nathan_unsane · 11/19/2006, 11:44 PM

i found the box to that skimmer...

Instant Ocean Seaclone Protein Skimmer 100G

and as far as the water changes, becuase my RO system only makes 2 gallons at a time, would it be a waste to do a 10 gallon every week? or every other week?

i'm actually working on the sump design on melv's reef site...

but it's a little harder done then said... so i'm still working on it..

that hang on back design

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:54 PM

again only do a water change once every 4 weeks. if youve been going every eight weeks this will help. every week can tooo, but take small steps. every month verses every two months may improve everything. also that seaclone skimmer....is poo poo for a large tank. ideally its ok for a nano but a 55 gallon(thats what you have right) its not doing enough. invest on a better skimmer asap! i know that skimmer and its definatly not good for a 55gallon

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:56 PM

you list your stock . whats died in the tank also. any other fish pass in this system? how long? in other words have you had any live stock die in this set up and what were they?

reefD · 11/19/2006, 11:59 PM

hang on back sump is another mistake that youll replace eventually. so just look into getting an overflow box and setting it up they way youll want to when your experienced by decades! LOL. good luck

nathan_unsane · 11/20/2006, 12:05 AM

lol...

thanx alot for the help reef d...

i'm out of it cuase of the pain killers i'm currently on...

but the the overflow box was what i was talking about...

and i havn't had any cuasulaties in this set up, or in about 6 months for that matter...

i wish i would have known about that seaclone... but currently i would have to wait untill my next student loan check in january before making any big money investments...

so i'll do a 10 gallon ever month? and see if that helps...

i'll start by doing one tomarrow...

reefD · 11/20/2006, 12:11 AM

do 20 % every month and also while using the seaclone add chemi pure in the canister. its a life saver product. rinse it lightly or not at all! the carbon powder isnt bad but adds absorbtion for filtration to grab onto to. i love this stuff for sure. add it now and do the water changes asap. the chemi pure is gonna help instantly ..the water change will add to the help and you should be clear and free soon. in other words while your saving money on the skimmer use chemi pure ..replace it every two months. its says its good for 6 months but thats under optimual conditions. for a 55 gallon 20 % would be about 12 but i like doing 15 gallons as it elliminates any guessing. that will ensure true reduction of nitrate build up. your gonna be ok just do the water changes and add chemi pure asap!

nathan_unsane · 11/20/2006, 12:16 AM

thanx again man....

i never did see that snail or a conch that resembles the ones i picked up today through the hour or so of internet searching but...

no big deal...

they have already stired up all the colored spots of sand and looks great...

but non the less i'd like to solve the problem, and will go with your suggestions...

thanx again dude....

reefD · 11/20/2006, 12:22 AM

no worries! just remember. algea is cuased by excess nutrients. so adding stock to eat it doesnt elliminate the cause. effieciently starving it ,does eliminate it and this is done by striping all excess nutrients....... especially nitrates and phosphates. this starves it off. algea only feeds on this! so no nutrients means algea starving dieing off and never appearing again..well as long as thier is no food(nutrients) to feed it. no worries and pm with any issues. happy to help all as i wish someone did when i started

reefD · 11/20/2006, 12:23 AM

painkillers ...im jealous

pop-i · 11/20/2006, 12:32 AM

in the face of everyting you might want to consider utelizing some macro algae as a nutrient leach. Chaetomophora has worked wonders in both of my tanks; in the main display or in the refugium. If you are able to work it out right it will pay for itself by selling handfulls of it online to support your reefing habbit

if you need pics or suggestions please let me know.

reefD · 11/20/2006, 12:43 AM

good advice pop i :but he is trying to avoid anymore green growth in display! LOL.he has no sump now so your advice is good but for now he has to go another route. a macro scrubber like mine would help but thats later. it can be resolved without this. but later on he should consider this .you speak of macro in a sump. i speak of algea scrubbing!. low flow forced through entire algea screen. they less flow equals more contact time with macro thus more absorption of nutrients! like this baby

nathan_unsane · 11/20/2006, 12:43 AM

actually i have a small amount... but it doesn't seem to grow for me....

11/19/2006, 09:20 PM	#1
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	what type of snail did i buy? being to stubborn to use chemicals to rid my slime algea problem on my sand bed, i purchased two golfball sized snails that burrow under the sand. i can't remember for the life of me what the names of these snails are... the lfs chick told me... but i my feeble mind cant retain to much information... if a picture is absolutly necessary i will sift through the sand tomarrow to find them... but does anybody know off hand a snail of this size that lives under the sand like this... thanx ahead!!!

11/19/2006, 09:59 PM	#2
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	the only thing i can think of that is that big and burrows is a conch...but those get too big for a 55 (unless they're fighting conches) and should be taken out imo.. oh, and by the way...i dont think you're "stubborn" to not use chemicals __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

11/19/2006, 10:39 PM	#4
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	well if your sand is continually getting algae of all those sorts on it it means that you've got a problem and adding these guys isnt going to stop it...it may stop the affects of the problem, sure, but its still there. Algae uses nitrates and phosphates to grow, so check those, and check total dissolved solids while you're at it. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

11/19/2006, 10:48 PM	#5
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	i can only give you my best advice. algea on sand/ substrate is from a new tank , water source filled with nutrients.(yeah tap can be a problem as it has phos and algea luvs phos.) or over load of stoock thus ammonia spikes. also consider silicates from substrate but this only occurs in new tanks.. adding a snail wont help stop it and later may increase. the plan is to strip nutrients. like above post ...reef tanks should have zero levels and any signs of spikes are ussually flagged by algea. but a new tank goes through this as it cycles. test your levels consider your tank age and bioload. are you adding alot to your tank?r u trying to get it at max bioload? thats a bad plan. let us know how old this set up is and whats in it. if your tank is under a year its normal as your going too fast. stop adding anything until this is gone. only do water changes every 4 weeks and let it be....it will cycle faster this way and become better at resisting a recycle or spike of ammonia. if your tank really cycled you shouldnt have any levels of ammonia . __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 10:50 PM	#6
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	You may have a conch, or she may have sold you a whelk - the only way to know is if you can get a decent picture of the snail and post it. I have a 1" whelk that's beautiful and makes a neat pet (fun to feed, it's kind of like a gigantic nassarius), but I've bannished it to the sump because it's a species that will prey on clams, given the chance. There are a few teeny clams that hitchhiked in on my LR that aren't gorgeous but they're interesting to watch and I'd like to keep them. I may also get a Tridacnid clam in the future, so the whelk can't stay in the display, but it seems happy enough with its own little sandbed to patrol in the sump . __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

11/19/2006, 10:02 PM	#3
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	well they are doing a great job at stiring my 4-5 inch sand bed... which no matter what i do will gradually blanket with red, and brown slime algea.. they seem to be doing a good job... i'll keep it posted when i get to the fish store, and find out exactly what i have... thanx guys

11/19/2006, 10:55 PM	#7
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	i don't have a test kit for phosphates.... but my nitrates and nirtrites are unreadable... i just moved, and when i did... i only used 25 gallons of the old water... and 30 new salt water mix... i only have one damsel and one seabea clown for fish... one serpent star... green star polyp coral, xenia, and that's it... i don't see a high bio load there? i am going to stop using flake food, and today purchased lifeline... .... if the problem will eventually pass, then why would it be a bad idea to add these snails for a temp fix? to only have the problem fix itself eventually?

11/19/2006, 11:00 PM	#8
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	and i don't think it's a conch... not that i'm a expert, but i didn't see any eyes... and the shell is round, without the spiral tip, and no lip that protrudes the shell...

11/19/2006, 11:20 PM	#9
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	when you moved you caused a recycle and this is the result. stay stead fast but you must not add any more stock coral/invert and fish included. your top off water source is what? RO, distilled or tap? this is important to know before i can diagnoise the issue. one year old isnt stable in my oppinion. especially when new to the hobby. do you dose filter food? if so stop. phosphates can be from water source, over feeding, excess waste, decaying material , and some coral foods. __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:22 PM	#10
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	answer this. 1 when did you move and re set up? date please. 2- whats your water source? 3-whats your filtration? skimmer/sump,etc 5-what do you feed your fish and how often? 6-how often do you do water changes? __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:28 PM	#11
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	1. i think the date was the 4th of october 2. RO water 3. i run a canister filter with no media... i just put live rock rubble in the trays... and i can't remember the name of the skimmer... it's that one with instant ocean's name on it... 4 I have been feeding for the past month flake food, (not a normal i left it out of the fridge all day awhile back) but i just purchased lifeline... the green kinda with algea supplments and i feed 2 times a week, very small portions... 5. i slack on water changes... once every other month hope this helps

11/19/2006, 11:35 PM	#12
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	once every other month can be the cause. a tank that is established consumes ammonia and changes it to nitrites....which then feeds nitrates. nitrates continue to rise until removed by water change or consumed by algea. every four weeks is needed as the nitrates get high at this point. be stricked about this or youll never have success in salt! also test ph in middle of night any swings is bad! __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:40 PM	#13
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	ur skimmer could be insuffiecient too. with out a brand name or model number i cant tell. but anyways skimmers should be well paid for as trhis is the heart of a tanks filtration. again if you dont know the brand and model number i will conclude that your skimmer is bad and need to be replaced asap. the canister isnt doing nothing but collecting debri. this is another source of nitrates . so clean it often of debri! this is the stuff that settles on the bottom. good luck and happy to help. __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:44 PM	#14
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	i found the box to that skimmer... Instant Ocean Seaclone Protein Skimmer 100G and as far as the water changes, becuase my RO system only makes 2 gallons at a time, would it be a waste to do a 10 gallon every week? or every other week? i'm actually working on the sump design on melv's reef site... but it's a little harder done then said... so i'm still working on it.. that hang on back design

11/19/2006, 11:54 PM	#15
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	again only do a water change once every 4 weeks. if youve been going every eight weeks this will help. every week can tooo, but take small steps. every month verses every two months may improve everything. also that seaclone skimmer....is poo poo for a large tank. ideally its ok for a nano but a 55 gallon(thats what you have right) its not doing enough. invest on a better skimmer asap! i know that skimmer and its definatly not good for a 55gallon __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:56 PM	#16
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	you list your stock . whats died in the tank also. any other fish pass in this system? how long? in other words have you had any live stock die in this set up and what were they? __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/19/2006, 11:59 PM	#17
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	hang on back sump is another mistake that youll replace eventually. so just look into getting an overflow box and setting it up they way youll want to when your experienced by decades! LOL. good luck __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/20/2006, 12:05 AM	#18
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	lol... thanx alot for the help reef d... i'm out of it cuase of the pain killers i'm currently on... but the the overflow box was what i was talking about... and i havn't had any cuasulaties in this set up, or in about 6 months for that matter... i wish i would have known about that seaclone... but currently i would have to wait untill my next student loan check in january before making any big money investments... so i'll do a 10 gallon ever month? and see if that helps... i'll start by doing one tomarrow...

11/20/2006, 12:11 AM	#19
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	do 20 % every month and also while using the seaclone add chemi pure in the canister. its a life saver product. rinse it lightly or not at all! the carbon powder isnt bad but adds absorbtion for filtration to grab onto to. i love this stuff for sure. add it now and do the water changes asap. the chemi pure is gonna help instantly ..the water change will add to the help and you should be clear and free soon. in other words while your saving money on the skimmer use chemi pure ..replace it every two months. its says its good for 6 months but thats under optimual conditions. for a 55 gallon 20 % would be about 12 but i like doing 15 gallons as it elliminates any guessing. that will ensure true reduction of nitrate build up. your gonna be ok just do the water changes and add chemi pure asap! __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/20/2006, 12:16 AM	#20
nathan_unsane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 461	thanx again man.... i never did see that snail or a conch that resembles the ones i picked up today through the hour or so of internet searching but... no big deal... they have already stired up all the colored spots of sand and looks great... but non the less i'd like to solve the problem, and will go with your suggestions... thanx again dude....

11/20/2006, 12:22 AM	#21
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	no worries! just remember. algea is cuased by excess nutrients. so adding stock to eat it doesnt elliminate the cause. effieciently starving it ,does eliminate it and this is done by striping all excess nutrients....... especially nitrates and phosphates. this starves it off. algea only feeds on this! so no nutrients means algea starving dieing off and never appearing again..well as long as thier is no food(nutrients) to feed it. no worries and pm with any issues. happy to help all as i wish someone did when i started __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/20/2006, 12:23 AM	#22
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	painkillers ...im jealous __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

11/20/2006, 12:32 AM	#23
pop-i Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 87	in the face of everyting you might want to consider utelizing some macro algae as a nutrient leach. Chaetomophora has worked wonders in both of my tanks; in the main display or in the refugium. If you are able to work it out right it will pay for itself by selling handfulls of it online to support your reefing habbit if you need pics or suggestions please let me know.

11/20/2006, 12:43 AM	#24
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	good advice pop i :but he is trying to avoid anymore green growth in display! LOL.he has no sump now so your advice is good but for now he has to go another route. a macro scrubber like mine would help but thats later. it can be resolved without this. but later on he should consider this .you speak of macro in a sump. i speak of algea scrubbing!. low flow forced through entire algea screen. they less flow equals more contact time with macro thus more absorption of nutrients! like this baby __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol