Breeding snails coincides with algae bloom

[Squatch XXL]

I have had snails breeding constantly for weeks. They are at it daily. I assume there is a mutual exchange of fluids or something to that effect.....Could the constant introduction of eggs etc be related to algae? The surface has been "scummy" nearly daily since I started seeing eggs.

Another variable is that 2 weeks ago I introduced a mechanical filter to the sump. It is a DIY filter that you can buy at the big brick stores....So I cut it to fit in my bubble baffle. I have thus far changed it 3 times in 2 weeks. Today I removed it totally. In less than a week it was very very grungy.....It may be full of snail eggs.

Tank is 8ish months old, and This could simple be another neat incident.

Is there a relation?

 

[DaveK]

I don't think the snails are the direct cause of your problem, but rather an effect of having an algae issue. More likely is that the algae problem is being caused by lots of nitrates and phosphates in the system. There are a lot of potential sources, but the first ones I'd look at are overfeeding and something that died in the system. Not using RO/DI water can also be a factor. So can the livestock load in the system.

The surface scum could be algae or a bacteria bloom on the surface. For this use a small powerhead to break up the surface of the water.

Exactly what kind of mechanical filter are we talking about? I don't think it's a factor as such, but they do need to be cleaned regularly.

 

[Squatch XXL]

@DaveK Thanks for the response good sir.

I just had my water checked for phos, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites at the local fish shop.

Ammonia, nitrates 0. Nitrites were just barely looking like the first color on the card. My KH was stated to be perfect. Phosphates were also undetectable.

As for feeding, I only feed the fish a few times a week. The mantis right now prefers turbo snails over being fed anything. I may feed flakes 3 times a week at most.

As for my "mechanical" filter, it was DIY filter pad that was cut to fit in my bubble baffle. All water in circulation went through the pad.

Aside from the DIY filter, there have been no changes at all in schedule since the tank was started. Weekly 20% water changes with RO water.

The gentleman at my LFS is trustworthy, and upon explanation he seems to think it is cyanobacteria.

I am also aware that most of the levels that are checked for can be askew due to uptake of these dissolved minerals by algae.

Could this be a compounding of not using a DI unit?

 

[DaveK]

You can test the water from your RO unit using the usual test kits. It is possible to have a problem with it. Typical TDS reading from the output from an RO unit should be about 1% to 3% of the TDS reading going in.

If you also had a DI unit the output from that should be close to 0.

Usually just the RO unit will block most of the nitrate and phosphate from coming through, but if your source water is very high in nitrate and phosphate you may need to use a DI unit also.

Silica is not blocked too well by just and RO unit. If you see diatom blooms you may have that problem.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Silica is not blocked too well by just and RO unit. If you see diatom blooms you may have that problem.

I used silica play sand as my "mold" for my agrocrete.....Which comprises about half of my rockwork. Each piece is a somewhat random mix of crushed coral, reef sand, bioballs (good way to bury them forever) and portland cement. I am fully aware that the outside of the rocks can still have quite a bit of silica sands on them even 10 year later. However, zoa frags spread faster on my agrocrete EVERYTIME versus live rock....though I have only tested this out a dozen times. Each colony could be different.

After doing quite a bit of research, and looking over the tank (ill try to get a photo) the diatoms are really not covering anything but the corals, and even more odd is that it only affects a few polyps at a time ONLY on specific colonies. I have a few colonies that for whatever reason have not shown any signs of issue. I do have a hair algae thing going on as well, and it is UGLY, but again nothing a toothbrush and a siphon can't remove.....However, I am more interested in getting to the roots of this issue.......

I am thinking that the one colony that really got hit hard with the diatoms lost 80%+ of the zoas...and it was a large colony. I basically left it in the tank to "work itself out". I had just moved the tank, and literally just moved the corals into the DT from a 2 month+ Q-tank.....I had no way after the move to qtank. I am thinking now that diatoms killed most of the colony that brought nudibranch, and their rotting up is causing a boost in algae issues.

Starting today, I reduced lighting to only 6 hours a day @ half the normal intensity (2 of 4 lights only on). Ill keep this up till early next week. In addition I will be doing 15-20 gallon WC and really siphon and scrub as best I can......I have to watch my fingers in the tank....I don't want my poor little finger nail exploded.

Ill post up a pict if I get the chance.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Starting today, I reduced lighting to only 6 hours a day @ half the normal intensity (2 of 4 lights only on).

Operation "Black out" has been in effect since Friday, and seem to really be helping with algae. The corals seem to be much healthier in appearance as judged by myself and the wife. I will keep it up a day or so, than slowly introduce the other lights again.

Overall, the algae was not bad at all....just that it was there where it never was before.

I am thinking now after reading around more that this was a reaction to the tank being tore down and moved. I am now a month + later starting to see pods on the glass again. Also, I have stomatella snail babies out the wazoo. Considering the idea that I never ever added one, this is a great bit of serendipity. Eventually I should be able to get a few out to offer to other reefers. They apparently appear from nowhere like some immaculate conception. I have been using RO/DI holy water with my reef crystals.