Water parameters for snails

[captmicha]

I'm breeding bladder snails and ramshorns snails and I have a pet nerite that I don't plan on breeding or using for puffer food. I may breed other snails and get other snails for pets or for feeding at some point.

I know that every snail doesn't want the same water parameters but generally speaking, I need to know what is good for bladders, ramshorns and my nerite.

I need to know what pH, GH and KH to shoot for.

I know not every body considers all three to be important or whatever but please tell me the ideal pH, GH and KH for these snails?

Thank you.

 

[Khemul]

Considering the range they are willing to accept, doubt you'll find an exact ideal level. They like hard water and calcium, high all around works. They arn't really picky creatures otherwise. No need to worry about exact levels as long as you avoid dropping into the acidic ranges.

 

[platytudes]

The range is wide, but overall you shoot for pH 7-8, and KH should be over 80ppm. Over 10 degrees of hardness would be preferable, so about 180 ppm. By the way, to convert from degrees to ppm, you multiply by 17.9...or use this chart:
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hardness.htm

 

[captmicha]

Thanks.

I do need an approximate level to shoot for, which was provided, because as it was, my GH was off the scale because I was putting in cichlid salt blindly, without the use of a test kit. Now my test kit is here and hopefully the population will recover.

Can some one clear this up for me? At the bottom of the page, they give you two different directions and amounts to follow. Which one is it?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

 

[cakins]

Most snails need high pH, GH as stated. Ramshorns can tolerate softer, acidic water, though.

 

[platytudes]

I would do what's on the chart, it's what has always worked for me, and is recommended by Neale Monks - a brackish expert who's advice I tend to follow:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm

Per 5 US gallons (20 litres) add the following amounts of each ingredient:

* 1 teaspoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
* 1 tablespoon Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)
* 1 teaspoon marine salt mix (sodium chloride + trace elements)

If you're curious, the baking soda raises the carbonate hardness, ensuring pH stays steadily in the basic range. The Epsom salt has little impact on pH, but raises the general hardness, helping hard water fish balance their osmoregulatory systems. Finally, the marine salt mix adds some trace elements as well as more carbonate hardness, rounding out the salt mix here so that it more closely matches the water chemistry found in the Great Lakes of Africa.

 

[captmicha]

If you're curious, the baking soda raises the carbonate hardness, ensuring pH stays steadily in the basic range. The Epsom salt has little impact on pH, but raises the general hardness, helping hard water fish balance their osmoregulatory systems. Finally, the marine salt mix adds some trace elements as well as more carbonate hardness, rounding out the salt mix here so that it more closely matches the water chemistry found in the Great Lakes of Africa.

Thanks, but I know. I finally got around to learning this a little while ago.

I see that it was copy and pasted, nvm.

Ramshorns can tolerate softer, acidic water, though.

So can the bladdersnails but all the snails stay very small and don't live for long. Sure they keep procreating but they never get any size to them.

 

[platytudes]

Actually that was just from the article I didn't write that.