Attack of the killer filter

I should know to stay out of Petsmart! I went in planning on upgrading my whisper filter on the 10gallon to an aquaclear 20. I walked out with a new 20 gallon tank and an aquaclear 50. Sigh...I have no impulse control LOL!

Anyway, I got it all set up and running last night. Used part of the old water (so it would be more like a huge water change), some gravel, all the plants and decor and filter media from the 10. Hopefully I won't see much more than a mini-cycle.

I was checking over the tank before I went to bed though, and one of my poor snails had his foot stuck in the intake tube for the filter!! I quickly shut it off and he dropped. I turned the filter all the way down hoping that would "fix" things. Just now another of the snails was caught! So I sacrificed a new pair of pantyhose and hopefully that will prevent further stickings. Poor snails are pretty freaked though. Just sitting there stuck to the gravel, but at least they aren't closed up tight. I'm leaving the lights off for them today and hopefully they'll be all right. I'm going to kick myself if my getting them a bigger space ends up killing them

So...is the ac50 too big for a 20 gallon tank? Should I have gone smaller? Or are my snails just suicidal?

LOL I did give them yummies. I make snail jello for them (I know, I'm a dork ). No one but the cories have bothered with it yet though.

budrecki said:

Snail jello? I am unaware, please explain.

Click to expand...

Simple, fun snail food I modified a recipe I found on applesnail.net. Here's my version

1 jar baby food
1 tsp calcium dusting powder (like jurassical)
some crushed up fish food and hermit crab cakes
some canned mustard greens
1 envelope plain gelatin (like Knox)

Heat the baby food for about a minute in the microwave. Stir in the gelatin until it is all smooth, stir in the rest of the stuff. Pour it into a flat bottom dish and chill until firm. Cut into serving size pieces and freeze in a zipper baggie. Thaw it in your hand a bit before serving, and it keeps about a month or so in the freezer.

Well after work tonight everyone is moving at least some I'm at least hopeful they escaped death. Now, for the sponge on the intake thing. How do I make it look decent? I have a dark blue background and a white sponge is going to look awful.