A couple more recipes for snail food

[LuxyBlue]

Another Calcium Feeder Recipe

Ingredients:

1600 mL of plaster of paris (Dap brand from Home Depot)
800 mL of water
1 100g container of tetra color sinking goldfish granules

Tools needed:

A large plastic pitcher
A 1L measuring cup
3 ice cube trays
A stir stick

Mix the water with the plaster until completely smooth.
Add fish food and mix evenly.
Pour into the ice cube trays. Rattle to trays to remove air bubbles. Let sit in a dry place for 2 days. Once the trays are good and solid, twist to remove the blocks. If the blocks are crumbling or breaking, they are not dry enough yet. Once they are out, cure them in a dry place for five more days (or use a food dehydrator). Once cured, they can be vacuum packed for storage. Each feeder typically lasts two weeks.

*The calcium in these feeders will buffer water to help maintain a basic pH.

I am all ready to make this and I noticed the DAP PoP has silica in it, is this a problem?

 

[msjinkzd]

not as far as I know, its the only brand that I know of recognized by name to use. There is also a product called "wondershells" i believe, available at lfs that is similar to these homemade discs.

 

[LuxyBlue]

Thanks, the Lowes tried to sell me 20 pounds of plaster of paris!! I was a little firghtened when he offered me the Lowes card.

 

[lulu]

Msjinkzd -

I'd like to buy 2 Apple Snails. Do you have some? I sent you a pm. thx.

 

[-KT-]

Not only do my cories, shrimp and snails love the Jello, one of the dwarf frogs I got yesterday munched down on it.

 

[emptywallet]

only if my mom would let me use her kitchen lol

 

[1oooop]

doesn't plaster of paris contain something known to the state of california to cause cancer? just askin... cause nobody likes cancer... nobody

 

[msjinkzd]

I dont know of much that doesn't cause cancer in the state of Cali, LOL...seriously though, I don't know. There are many alternatives to buffer your water and add calcium for your snails. You can add calcium pills to the tank, or tums, for them to graze on. Crushed coral can be used as a substrate or in your filter to buffer the water and increase pH to prevent erosion. Foods are always a great option to promote healthy shell growth. These plaster discs are just one inexpensive option, if you are at all uncomfortable about it, I wouldn't do it. Just use one of the other options.

 

[1oooop]

hmmm... crushed coral... anyone know where to get it? BTW, I read the back of it and it is called crystalline silica... anyway I don't really care... LOL
so I made some plaster(I got it from Walmart tho....) and imma try to use it as a substrate in my small fliter... once it dries out... is it okay to use it as substrate? srry about me freaking out back there, as you all know I'm insane... :nilly::duh::hitting: anyway, alotta my relatives died of cancer recently so i'm a lil bummed...

update few seconds later: I found a fact sheet on it, it causes silicosis anyway here's the link

 

[thebullit]

crushed coral can be used as substrate, i had it in 1 of my shrimp and snail tanks and has been very benifitial, but as its white the lil wee shrimp started to lose ther colour so i added black gravel on top of the coral and all is still good and the shrimp getting there colour back.