how many snails is too much?

[ChrisfromBrick]

100 gallon tank. I skim dry and my nitrates sit from 5-15 and my phosphate sits at 0.03-0.15.
Have a green hair algae issue that i think more cuc can curb. I do have about 20 -25 snails as well as maybe 8 hermits. Trochus and turbos. Should i shoot for another 10?

I’m cleaning this stuff more than i’d like but when i do weekly the tank looks fire. I’m especially impressed at turbos though i do understand that they cannot right themselves when falling.
Thoughts?

 

[Science/G]

If the hair algae is really bad, I would get another 50. I have probably 25 to 30 turbo snails in my 30 gallon reef. I would also look into getting a few pitho crabs, they're really good algae eaters. And yes you are going to have to babysit them. I would even go as far as removing them from the glass and putting them right over top of the hair algae every once in awhile.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

wow 1 snail per gallon. Wonder if that makes a meaningful contribution to the tanks bioload. I will definitely buy a bunch more

 

[Science/G]

I just did a quick count and I can confirm I have at least 25 snails in the reef

 

[Gumbies R Us]

100 gallon tank. I skim dry and my nitrates sit from 5-15 and my phosphate sits at 0.03-0.15.
Have a green hair algae issue that i think more cuc can curb. I do have about 20 -25 snails as well as maybe 8 hermits. Trochus and turbos. Should i shoot for another 10?

I’m cleaning this stuff more than i’d like but when i do weekly the tank looks fire. I’m especially impressed at turbos though i do understand that they cannot right themselves when falling.
Thoughts?

If you have enough algae getting 10 or more would be perfectly ok

 

[Uncle99]

100 gallon tank. I skim dry and my nitrates sit from 5-15 and my phosphate sits at 0.03-0.15.
Have a green hair algae issue that i think more cuc can curb. I do have about 20 -25 snails as well as maybe 8 hermits. Trochus and turbos. Should i shoot for another 10?

I’m cleaning this stuff more than i’d like but when i do weekly the tank looks fire. I’m especially impressed at turbos though i do understand that they cannot right themselves when falling.
Thoughts?

when it’s phosphate, 0.03ppm to 0.15ppm is a big variation and that instability contributes largely to pest type algae’s and bacteria.

.1ppm is a good target. Try to maintain that value along with your nitrates as is.

I have 180G with no CUC except maybe 5 snails and have zero green pest algae’s.

It’s the stability in chemistry that creates the mature bio film which in turn keeps rocks clean and sand white.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

when it’s phosphate, 0.03ppm to 0.15ppm is a big variation and that instability contributes largely to pest type algae’s and bacteria.

.1ppm is a good target. Try to maintain that value along with your nitrates as is.

I have 180G with no CUC except maybe 5 snails and have zero green pest algae’s.

It’s the stability in chemistry that creates the mature bio film which in turn keeps rocks clean and sand white.

Im thinking I may just put phosphate on a dosing pump daily to keep it steady.

The hair algae isn't crazy by any means but after a week its enough for me to notice.

 

[Uncle99]

Im thinking I may just put phosphate on a dosing pump daily to keep it steady.

The hair algae isn't crazy by any means but after a week its enough for me to notice.

Always keep a close eye on phosphate.
It does not rise and fall like say Alk, but trends in the upward direction as it’s only removed by manual means.
If you seeing a swing daily, that’s a sign of a not so good test kit.
Only the Hanna UL phosphorus colour meter has ever worked for me as kits that rely on human eye for colour are next to useless for this parameter.

What you’re looking for is say .1ppm (ish) and remaining there, week over week.

 

[Hallowhead]

I wish I could keep more than 5 snails alive in my tank lol...

I am fighting bad GHA, finally getting a hold of it and no matter what my snails die... They go dormant and then get eaten by bristle worms. My urchins however, do fine.

 

[Science/G]

I wish I could keep more than 5 snails alive in my tank lol...

I am fighting bad GHA, finally getting a hold of it and no matter what my snails die... They go dormant and then get eaten by bristle worms. My urchins however, do fine.

Something might be up with your water chemistry.