peety Posted March 2, 2003 Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 Hah !! Went to the beach and brought home some snails. Had to ditch a couple after browsing (carnivorous), but the most common snail, the black nerite, is an algae grazer. I brought home some big ones and they are racing through my tank cleaning up. Wicked !! Anyone had or know of any probs with them, unless you have firsthand knowledge I'm keeping mine.... Go get a couple, free at a beach near you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 2, 2003 Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 The main problem with snails is they poo more than they clean and multiply faster than rabbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 Then you need something that eats them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 I sense a lovely seafood chowder in the making Follow-up : Most seem fine and are sticking to the upper edge of the tank (probably to get air ??), a couple that are on the lower parts of the tank have stopped eating (no tracks). If they die i'll have probs getting the buggers out :roll: :roll: I'm watchin them to see if they figure out the new high tide mark I didn't realise how much algae/slime buildup there was, even the front glass shows where they have been the previous night.... cool I also inadvertantly introduced some water mite thingies that I need to identify... Fun hobby..... Peety 8) 8) 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted March 4, 2003 Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 is this a cold or hot water setup peety?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 It's warm My tank sits about 23-24 I figured it would be close enough for rock pool types.... :-? So in they go !!! Peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 Some of the other rocks I've added have come to life as well...... The calciferous ones are showing some freaky blue/violet feather duster type worms. Been there for about 6 weeks so I assume they're fine. Its just a matter now of planning how many beaches i can visit..... peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted March 4, 2003 Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 Always wondered what the Quoys Bubble Shell would be like to keep in a tank. A species that looks similar is linked below: http://www.seaslugforum.net/bullampu.htm There are heaps amongst the sea grass in the tidal area where I collect cockles for fish food. They look fantastic and certainly survive high temperatures when the tide goes out. The ones here are out and about feeding during the day and at low tide. Just another interesting option - try the mudflats. Cheers Shilo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 Yeah youre onto it.... I found a huge sea slug the other week but gf said it was awful and i couldn't keep it !!! Man never seen something so pretty (and ugly at the same time). must have been about 6-8 inches !!! Just a gigantic slug !!!! Green !!!! Hahahahaha I've been at the beach most my life ..... and misseed it ..... peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted March 4, 2003 Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 We get those to. Once a year or so large spikey (or I should say branchy) light brown-green seaslugs invade the beach below the house. Its like something from a B-grade horror! The muds covered with thousands. Lucky for swimmers they are aren't carnivorous! You certainitly wouldn't want them breeding in the tank - and people think snails are bad :roll: Cheers Shilo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2003 YIKES!!! The snails look real sick.. Rats !!! Ones crawled under a rock and I can't get to it :-? I'm gonna get a nitrate spike from hell if I can't get the bugger out.... O well... Funny, I've noticed some small fellas crawling around the sump of another species that seem fine, i think it is definately the lack of tide thing that got them... no air..... poo :oops: :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 5, 2003 Report Share Posted March 5, 2003 I'd say it's much more likely they just couldn't handle the temperature in the tank than not enough air. They'd have been relatively cold water snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Well Peety you seem to be a very full on with the salt water. Check you water params, as you know nitrate and amonia are KILLERS in the salt. Snails, not sure if they are what you want. Snails are just another life form, so the problem is they are competing for food/air etc just like fish/coral etc. If you have brown algae (Diatom Bloom should be common is a salt tank less than 4 months old?) and are worried about it. Water change and since your into introducing life in there, HERMIT CRABS! Hermit Crabs are supposed to be the ULTIMATE for this issue. I am not sure if NZ hermits are the same as the ones I read about in the USA but you seem to be the MAN to find out I am also keen to hear how it goes as I want Hermit crabs in my tank (which is comming along nicely, will be 'wet' in a few weeks). Also if you are having Algae problems, some people are useing a refugium (www.reefcentral.com, www.thereefweb.com). this i am convinced is TECHNOLOGY. Get something in your tank, or plumbed into the sump and grow algae in there. by growing the Algae/Micro in the Refugium you won't get it in the display! You can also harvist out of the 'fuge' to feed the critters in the display. I have some plans for a 'fuge' so if you want to talk about it 021 455 946 (Mark). Good luck with the prob, and would LOVE to hear if you get some hermits in there. Ohhhh 1 last thing, I am EXTREMELY interested in the 'feather duster' worms you mentioned. Photo or better descriptions? Maybee when I am in Auckland next month I can come over and have a look (flog some 'live sand too?). Ohh and the temp 'may' be an issue. But its hard to say. My best guess is that its unlikley to be temp (cause of the time it took to become a problem), but its only a guess. There is an article in the latest UK MArine mag that has a guy with a cleaner (boxing) shrimp, living outside his house in a tank. He has to break the ice to feed it and its still alive. Good luck and keep us informed. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2003 You are welcome to call over and check out my tanks. I have sump with refugium, but nothing in refug at mo. I am thinking of stripping down marine and doing over since I'm finding the deep tank a bit of a nightmare and can't get it looking how i want. (i have another setup identical with nothing in it since my discus died). I have had fish die of TB in my tropical tank, so wouldn't suggest you leave here with anything to go in another tank.... I think there are still two snails alive(in sump) so don't know what killed others... I have been checking nitrate levels and they are getting a bit high about 5 ppm maybe closer to 10 but anenomes and mushrooms still appear to be OK so can't be too bad, and some dying coral i was given is growing again. I also added some coral/weed stuff from a rock pool and it appears to be growing as well. As an experiment it's going ok but i can see that I will want to try again on a bigger tank.... just not yet... too many mistakes to be made I found some hermit crabs too, but thought they might eat my anenomes... I'll bag some next time and see what they do... I'll call ya Pies.... you can check out what left of my tropical ... that was finished ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeves Posted March 11, 2003 Report Share Posted March 11, 2003 Pies that cleaner (boxing) shrimp you mentioned sounds interesting could you please elaborate on the tale a little bit more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted March 11, 2003 Report Share Posted March 11, 2003 do u have any fish in your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 11, 2003 Report Share Posted March 11, 2003 In the latest issue of Marine UK there is an article about a guy with a boxing shrimp. He was sick of it, for whatever reason, so he put it outside in a tank (looked like a platic bucket of sorts). He said its been out there for months, and now its winter. He went out and looked in it, suspecting it would have died, but saw it crawling along the bottom of the tank. He broke the ice on top, droped in some flake and it came to the surface and fed. He also took a photo! Pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted March 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 I have a yellow tang, a percola clown, and another as yet to be identified fish (gift). Two snails have definately survived so it may have just been the drive home (two hours in the car out of water.. nah...don't know ) I will definately give the tank a shuffle around in the next week or two... that should be interesting. Interestingly I have no algae probs in my sump (bugger all light, but enough) and tons in my main tank, I'm gonna add a UV and have it running part time to see if I can lower algaes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 PLANT the refugim!! I personally think that UV for a reef is bad as it will kill all your plankton (which you should have cause you use real seawater). Diatom (brown algae) is normal for a tank that is cycling. Snails and hermit crabs + a planted refugium are the key (or at least thats what I intend to do). + the yello tank loves it anyway. A friends tank had its yellow tang die about 6 weeks ago and the brown algae growth is obvious. Remember why Algae growns, nutrients in the water. So SKIM it out, or grow it out Get into those crabs! Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted June 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 Just an update.... I have moved house.... sigh... It took a day to move each tank (freshwater paludarium and marine). I moved all 250 litres of water in the marine tank and kept the sump wet. It has taken about two months for everything to settle. I have also added another 250 litre tank to the marine tank by plumbing in a passive syphon at main tank level and at sump level, increasing tank volume to 500 litres. I plan to have two different styles of marine tank side by side running same water. Adding more water really increased polyp growth on corals, and mushroom growth. I added more snails and hermits from the beach and all are well. I added seaweed but it has died so will look for a different species. I have noticed lots of worms which I am leaving alone since they seem to eat algae and rotting seaweed. Lots of seawater shrimp, bugs and water fleas (assume they all came in on rocks and seaweed.) Have just started removing Aiptasia from the tank as they were getting huge!! I had a couple that were over two inches high, looked really cool but started spreading too fast. I have a local anenome that has reproduced as well but does not grow very big. I recommend taking a chilly bin and zip lock bags to the beach. Zip lock any snails or crabs, and seaweed. Store all bags in chillybin on the way home. All snails, anenomes, and crabs from rock pools survive fine in my tropical tank doing this. The snails do try and crawl off though. Also throw some empty shells in the tank for the hermit crabs to grow into since they grow quite fast, and look kinda silly 'nude'. YAY! Back online peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted June 9, 2003 Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 Heya Peety I wanna see photos! Awesome that things are going well. I've had a few woes with my tank (but craftmanship from me) but otherwise am very happy. I met with a guy who is a quite knowledgeable and he has done studies on snails and hermit crabs etc. Slowly acclimitising them GREATLY increases their life spans. I still have 3 hermit crabs from my initial setup 2 months ago! All snails died (but remember only 1 survived the hairy crab incident). Peety if you want to see somephotos of mine I have heaps so shoot me an email and i'll send you some. I also have photos of my finished closed loops which are working AWESOMELY! I have replaced my sump with a 3ft fishtank (160 ltrs) which is run just over half fill, as I want back syphon protection. I also have no dividers in it, but have made 2 dividers out of rock! Stops micro bubbles and must be more 'natural'? Not sure its a world first and I didn't have time to make dividers when I put the sump in I have about 15 different corals in the tank now, and watch them very closely (thanks to everyone who has donated rock and corals to my project). I will be up in Auckalnd end of this month for a day and plan on leaving with a giant clam, and some more corals! I will not add many more leathers though, from now on I am concentrating on stoneys. I added about 30 glass shrimp yesterday. Going well and a good laugh. They will have to be careful not to go over the overflows though or they will get skimmed. None of my fish will eat them (none of the ones I have yet anyway), but maybee some of the stoney coral will? Who knows watch this space. Love to see some photos peety including pics of the plumbing etc. Good luck! Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted June 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 I'll try and score a digi camera. I have a digi vid, i'll see how small I can get an avi. My plumbings pretty insane, i'll work up a drawing and scan it. It all works really good now. The water has yellowed due to seaweed but I have had more growth since i added the extra tank less than months ago, than in the 6 months previous. It's all a bit empty at present since I was a bit hesitant to go forwards... alls good so I need to get some more corals. Where did you get get glass shrimp from? are they what I have? I have noticed lots of little clear shrimp in my tank. I bought two cleaner shrimp and they have shed their skins a couple of times now. I have a lot of red cyano, but it is reducing by the week, I have reduced lighting to twelve hours as well. Pics would be cool... email me on [email protected] ta peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted June 9, 2003 Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 Glass shrimp are the ones you get by the rock pools. Just drag a net through the algae and you get heaps! I am lucky not to have any cyno but increased water params (nitrite, nutrients) will help. Also some increased circulation will help. Have you got any Calurpa in your tank? If not you should get some from somewhere (me if nowhere else). It will help export lots of nutrients etc and may stop they cyno etc from growing. I'll send some pics soon. How much bandwith you got (i.e. how many mb of pics you want to recieve? Love to see a drawing of the plumbing etc. User MSPAINT and send it to me. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted June 13, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 No adsl here, sigh.... back to 54 k, but i'll just leave the modem running at night. I have that diagram done, I see you asked about the pic post thing, I wondered how to do that as well. I'll just email you once I get your email address.... Calurpa would be good, have you tried any NZ seaweed yet? Something must work the same..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted June 13, 2003 Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 [email protected] will find me Send through whatever you like. Keen to see the plumbing and photos of tank if avail. email me and i'l lsend through as many as you like. Some people use a 'red/pink' seaweed from the rock pools. Its survives but not sure as to how good it is so I won't bother. I have 3 different types of microalgae growing. 1 'deep red 'low light that looks like a fancy red lettuce, 1 unknow feather leaf and Calurpa Ramosa (grape caulerpa). This is the one i will use until I have found some Taxifola (banned by MAF in NZ). I have enough of all 3 to supply 'starter' amounts. The green stuff requires good current and LOTS of light. Personally I don't like it in the tank and will only grow it in the sump (reverse light system). But my sump is still 'in design stages' as you will see I am using a 'ghetto' model right now! Cheers! Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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