snail tank

Question
QUESTION: Hi April,
I have a 10 gallon snail tank that I use to grow snail for my mbu puffer fish.  I mostly have Ramshorn snails and some little wild snails which I intend to clear out the wild ones.  My question is this- no matter how much I change the water the day after I check my levels with a strip and the water is always acidy and the Ph is very low.  I have tried putting a birds calcium cuttle bone in it to no avail.  My snails shells are becoming very soft and some are actually flaking apart because of the water ph and akalinity.  Do you have any suggestions as to why this happens and how I can fix this problem.

Thank you
Dolores

ANSWER: Hi Dolores,

Have you tested your water straight out of the tap?  Usually if it's very acidic it's coming out of the tap that way.

Natural ways of changing pH usually do not have that much of an effect because it usually only raises the water coming out of the tap by 1/10 a point.  

It would be a little odd to have high alkalinity if you have an acidic pH.  What exactly is the pH?  Most snails can live in 6.5-8.0 pH water.  You can raise it by using some API Max Cichlid Buffer and API Cichlid Salts.  I would dissolve the salts in a net over the tank so that the snails don't come in direct contact with them but they are different from regular aquarium salt and will help adjust and stablize the pH.  However, that being said don't use too much.  It is developed to recreate a highly alkaline and 8.2 pH environment.  I use a little of this in my tropical community tank though (and I have no cichlids) because my tap water tends to be lower in pH, GH & KH than I need for them but I don't use the recommended dose because I don't want quite an 8.2 pH.

You can also use some API Proper Neutral pH with Buffer.  I usually cannot find this in the local pet stores but you can always find this stuff on eBay.  They have neutral buffers that will take you to a consistent 7.0.  Also, you can try some Tetra Easy Balance.  This will keep the pH from swinging out of control back and forth.

Good luck : ) April M.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi April,
It's Dolores again I have tested the water right after changing the snail tank so it's straight tap water with a little prime in it to take out the chlorine and other harmful metals here are the readings- GH is 180, PH is 7.4, and KH is 140.  The next day I test it and this is the readings I get, PH is 6.4, and KH is about 0 to 10.  Now what I failed to tell you that there are a lot of snails in this tank would that make a difference?  I was told that because the water becomes so acidic that it really weakens the snails shells which will actually make them crack and die or flake off bit by bit and I need a good strong shell for my mbu puffer sweet little sammy.  I was just wondering if you had heard that the snails themselves do it by drawing all the calcium out for their shells is that true?  Sorry to bother you again on this but I'm kind of desperate and I really appreciate your input.


Ever Grateful,
Dolores

Answer
Hi Dolores,

Wow, that is quite the difference, coming out of the tap 7.4 and ending at 6.4 the next day.  This drastic a swing in pH is caused by the water parameters, and is probably a direct result of too less frequent partial water changes or entirely too many snails.  Your KH and GH coming out are high, which is okay for snails, but it's plummeting with the acidic levels.  You can relieve some of the snails from the tank, do more frequent partial water changes and add the cichlid mineral salts and proper pH with buffer max to stablize the water.  I would also add the Tetra Easy Balance and you should see an improvement with the levels.  The salts will bring your KH & GH up to where you need to be and the buffer will make it stable so that it doesn't swing back and forth and will keep it to a constant neutral or alkaline level so that you don't keep getting the flaky shells from the acid.  Just give it a try.

Good luck : ) April M.