SL Aqua Soil pH problems

[JonRon]

I have had These guys in pH of 4.7 for weeks with no issue. Even Ramshorn snails. Although the Ramshorn snails I have end up as Shrimp Food when they get on the glass where I can grab them with my pinsets. Squish 🙄

[aqua_che_scapes]

12 minutes ago, JonRon said:

I have had These guys in pH of 4.7 for weeks with no issue. Even Ramshorn snails. Although the Ramshorn snails I have end up as Shrimp Food when they get on the glass where I can grab them with my pinsets. Squish 🙄

 

Nerites in 4.7?  Wow. I hope they keep doing ok. I’d be curious.  I’d love to put atleast one or two small nerites in my shrimp tank.  I worry about the egg laying too.  Some people get nerites and say “never again” after a bad case of eggs scattered and glued to every tank surface.  Maybe at a lower pH it’s not ideal for breeding so they won’t lay eggs but will still help eat algae . 

[madcrafted]

If you keep them in soft water permanently, they will die sooner than they normally would in waters with normal carbonate levels. You can see the shells getting thinner over time, sometimes even displaying "pits" here and there. I rotate mine between soft water and tanks with tap water. The tap water tanks barely have any algae these days, so when I toss them into my soft water shrimp tanks, they  devour whatever algae they can...quickly.  Then I move them back after a month or so, leaving only "pesty" snails like ramshorns and bladder to finish up. 

[JonRon]

The ones I sent the link too. They do lay a lot of eggs, however they Need brackish water for the eggs to hatch. My pH for all my tanks are not that low anymore. All are lower then a pH of 6.0 and have never had a lose yet. I would recommend These snails to everyone.

[madcrafted]

5 minutes ago, aqua_che_scapes said:

 

Nerites in 4.7?  Wow. I hope they keep doing ok. I’d be curious.  I’d love to put atleast one or two small nerites in my shrimp tank.  I worry about the egg laying too.  Some people get nerites and say “never again” after a bad case of eggs scattered and glued to every tank surface.  Maybe at a lower pH it’s not ideal for breeding so they won’t lay eggs but will still help eat algae . 

 

 Oh they lay eggs in soft water just the same. All in my mosses and cholla wood. Doesn't bother me much, they eventually just dissolve.

 

[aqua_che_scapes]

I would rotate them between my neocaridina shrimp tank and the TB tank but I can’t put snails in any of my other tanks cause I used fenbendazole (for planaria) in them earlier this year.  And it doesn’t wear off.  I tried putting nerites in the neo tank 6 months after dosing the dewormer and they died within a few hours. Even with a longer acclimation.  Until one day I can tear down one or more of my other tanks and start completely over,  I can’t house snails.  I grow limpet pests that look like snails just fine tho.  I don’t know.  The TB tank is the only dewormer free tank cause it’s newer and I don’t use the dewormer anymore in my tanks.  Works great but not if you want snails ever again.  

 

People have told me that if you use some filter carbon and wait 6 months or so the dewormer will be gone and snails will be fine but that’s not true.  That stuff is like permanent.  

[aqua_che_scapes]

Quick update. Shadow pandas are doing really well.  The parameters seem very stable.  These shrimp are absolutely stunning in this dark substrate tank.  I couldn’t have picked a better shrimp to start with.   

[madcrafted]

Glad to hear they are transitioning well into their new home. Shrimp will generally let you know when there is a problem. I find that the less I fool with parameters and testing, the better off they are. The key to success starts with good soil and SL-Aqua is one of the best, so you made a wise choice there.