Slew of Questions (Cycling, Stocking, and Care)

I will talk to my local petsmart about it and see if they will allow me to get some. My only worry would be them breeding and creating an over-infestation that the assassin snails could not keep up with. I will be getting this filter in the 30 gallon size. Is this a good filter? What would be the guidelines for this one? It uses foam, activated carbon, and biomax, which I guess is the ceramic biomedia: http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...ion+&+Circulation&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No
 
I don't think the snails will be a problem. You can always just smash em or pull em and flush em... I actually kept them in my tank on purpose for a number years, because they were something else to look at... My amazon swords and Java Fern didn't seem to mind too much...
 
TheLindseyPanda said:
I will talk to my local petsmart about it and see if they will allow me to get some. My only worry would be them breeding and creating an over-infestation that the assassin snails could not keep up with. I will be getting this filter in the 30 gallon size. Is this a good filter? What would be the guidelines for this one? It uses foam, activated carbon, and biomax, which I guess is the ceramic biomedia: http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...ion+&+Circulation&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No
Click to expand...

Thats exactly what i have on one of my tanks. It is a really good filer. The carbon is only good for about a month but if you keep up with your tank maintaince and water changes then its not needed. Just clean the filter once a month by rinsing the sponge to get most of the gunk out of it. If you have anymore questions you can ask :) or PM me

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Well, and not meaning to be rude, the snails really were a problem. They were tiny but there were a TON of them. They were all up and down the wall of the tank and were very unsightly and not cute or cool or interesting in the slightest. They only served as a pain in my rear to wipe off the tank walls every day with a paper towel. We removed as many as possible, but they reproduced so fast it was really tough to get rid of them.
And thanks for the filter advice. Assuming that all water changes occur on time and with the added help of the assassin snails, I will definitely remove the carbon. I will rinse the sponge in the dirt water and the same for the biomax.
One last question, and this is going to sound really stupid. Do Assassin snails need extra shells? I know (through a friend who owns hermit crabs) that they need assorted shells to switch into as they grow. While snails and the crabs aren't too closely related, I just figured I should know, just in case.
 
Nope. The difference between crabs and snails is that snails make their shells, Crabs take their shells.


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TheLindseyPanda said:
Well, and not meaning to be rude, the snails really were a problem. They were tiny but there were a TON of them. They were all up and down the wall of the tank and were very unsightly and not cute or cool or interesting in the slightest. They only served as a pain in my rear to wipe off the tank walls every day with a paper towel. We removed as many as possible, but they reproduced so fast it was really tough to get rid of them.
And thanks for the filter advice. Assuming that all water changes occur on time and with the added help of the assassin snails, I will definitely remove the carbon. I will rinse the sponge in the dirt water and the same for the biomax.
One last question, and this is going to sound really stupid. Do Assassin snails need extra shells? I know (through a friend who owns hermit crabs) that they need assorted shells to switch into as they grow. While snails and the crabs aren't too closely related, I just figured I should know, just in case.
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Pest snails such as the ones you're describing typically reproduce faster when there is an excess of food. If you think they are getting out of control try cutting back on feeding a little and they should cut back on reproducing. Combined with the assassin snails I can't see them being a problem. Also, I wouldn't rinse the biomax it could wash off some of the beneficial bacteria that grows on it which is it's main purpose. I sit mine on the top level of the filter so even if it gets dirty it doesn't restrict the flow much. As authmal said earlier, at most give it a dip to remove excess debris. But only if it really needs it.

Snail's grow their shells as they get bigger so there is no need for extra shells.


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Ok great! I think I am all set! Thanks everyone! You are my heroes! Sending virtual hugs your way :)


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TheLindseyPanda said:
I will talk to my local petsmart about it and see if they will allow me to get some. My only worry would be them breeding and creating an over-infestation that the assassin snails could not keep up with. I will be getting this filter in the 30 gallon size. Is this a good filter? What would be the guidelines for this one? It uses foam, activated carbon, and biomax, which I guess is the ceramic biomedia: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=17228016&lmdn=Fish+Filtration+%26amp%3B+Circulation&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo
Click to expand...


You can just look to see if they have tanks crawling with snails that aren't labeled as for sale. If they do, you'll probably be able to get some for a nominal fee. Snails will only breed, at least for "pest" type snails, if there is an abundance of food. So, if you don't overfeed, don't leave dead plant or animal matter sitting in the tank, well, you shouldn't have much in the way of issues with overbreeding.

AC30 is fine for a 20. Or a 10. Or, if you're going to be *very* disciplined with maintenance, a 29 or 30. I am one of many that believes in overfiltration (of which there is no such thing), and that most filter manufacturers overstate their efficacy. I'd say go for the 20 gallon tank (I have a preference for the footprint of the 20 long) with that filter. I have an AC 20 and a C2 (similar sized/capacity filters) on my 2 10s, and on my 55 I have a canister filter rated for 90 or 100 (can't remember, and too lazy to look it up) gallons and an AC 70 rated for 70.

I do recommend a prefilter on the intake if you're getting snails, because it's possible their shells can damage the impeller. Were I you, I'd buy a spare AC 20 sponge (I got a couple 3 packs on clearance at PetSmart for 67 cents each) and cut slits the go half way into the sponge block, shaped much like if you were slicing a pizza or cake. That way, there's an opening for you to insert the intake, and you don't have to go through the effort of cutting a hole the perfect size. Just be careful, because, you know, knife sharp. :nilly:
 
Great, if I have any more questions I will let you all know!
 
TheLindseyPanda said:
Well, and not meaning to be rude, the snails really were a problem. They were tiny but there were a TON of them. They were all up and down the wall of the tank and were very unsightly and not cute or cool or interesting in the slightest. They only served as a pain in my rear to wipe off the tank walls every day with a paper towel. We removed as many as possible, but they reproduced so fast it was really tough to get rid of them.
And thanks for the filter advice. Assuming that all water changes occur on time and with the added help of the assassin snails, I will definitely remove the carbon. I will rinse the sponge in the dirt water and the same for the biomax.
One last question, and this is going to sound really stupid. Do Assassin snails need extra shells? I know (through a friend who owns hermit crabs) that they need assorted shells to switch into as they grow. While snails and the crabs aren't too closely related, I just figured I should know, just in case.
Click to expand...

Then you were overfeeding, either directly or indirectly (via dead/rotting plant matter). Without food to fuel the breeding, there won't be any. They'd starve themselves out of existence if they did.

Hermit crabs are the only invertebrates that I can think of that need access to larger shells as they grow, that they don't grow on their own.
 
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