Snails Seem to Keep Dying

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

Water Quality

Something in the water is likely irritating them and eventually killing them. There could be more obscure explanations, but water quality is the first thing you want to rule out because it’s both the most common cause and one of the easiest to test.

First move:
Run some activated carbon and watch the tank for the next couple of days. Carbon is cheap, easy to use, and very effective at removing many potential irritants or toxins.

If that doesn’t work:
Do a 30% water change.

If things noticeably improve afterward, remember that about 70% of whatever caused the problem is still in the tank. In that case, do 3–4 additional 30% water changes over the next few days to turn over most of the water and dilute the contaminant.

 

[Hallowhead]

Water Quality

Something in the water is likely irritating them and eventually killing them. There could be more obscure explanations, but water quality is the first thing you want to rule out because it’s both the most common cause and one of the easiest to test.

First move:
Run some activated carbon and watch the tank for the next couple of days. Carbon is cheap, easy to use, and very effective at removing many potential irritants or toxins.

If that doesn’t work:
Do a 30% water change.

If things noticeably improve afterward, remember that about 70% of whatever caused the problem is still in the tank. In that case, do 3–4 additional 30% water changes over the next few days to turn over most of the water and dilute the contaminant.

I should have a good understanding of what's in the tank in about a week when my ICP test returns. For now I will cycle my activated carbon and see what happens, as you mentioned it's cheap and easy enough to get going. Will report back!

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

I should have a good understanding of what's in the tank in about a week when my ICP test returns. For now I will cycle my activated carbon and see what happens, as you mentioned it's cheap and easy enough to get going. Will report back!

For me it’s kind of like going to the doctor. I don’t need the doc to tell me I could probably lose a few pounds… or a few tens of pounds. I already know.

ICP feels similar in a lot of cases. About 90% of the time the recommendation ends up being some version of “do a water change” to bring something back down.

The other 10% of the time, it’s pretty obvious something in the water is irritating the tank anyway… so I end up doing a water change for that reason too.

So these days I often skip the ICP and just do the water change. If things start looking better afterward, that’s all the confirmation I need that something in the water was the issue. Then I’ll usually follow it up with a few more changes to turn the bulk of the water over.

 

[Hallowhead]

For me it’s kind of like going to the doctor. I don’t need the doc to tell me I could probably lose a few pounds… or a few tens of pounds. I already know.

ICP feels similar in a lot of cases. About 90% of the time the recommendation ends up being some version of “do a water change” to bring something back down.

The other 10% of the time, it’s pretty obvious something in the water is irritating the tank anyway… so I end up doing a water change for that reason too.

So these days I often skip the ICP and just do the water change. If things start looking better afterward, that’s all the confirmation I need that something in the water was the issue. Then I’ll usually follow it up with a few more changes to turn the bulk of the water over.

I do weekly 20% water changes to begin though so it's gotta be something overly abundant in quantity in the water