Hi Guys
Thanks for the help on the filter topic after I had a few power cuts - the story has got worse though
Story - Trigon 350 - running with no problems for over 5 years
Powr cut caused huge leak - temp in tank went down to 19 degrees celcius - so very cold before the power came back on
Fish all OK
problem is that all of a sudden there were literally thousands - and i mean thousands of small snails all over the bottom of the tank - these guys are tiny.
When the heat went back to normal - most of the snails have disappeared and I have realised that they are living in the internal juwell filter - I am up to my 6 monthly tank chack (ironically at teh end of this month) - so have not inspected teh filters for - well 6 months.
I have taken all the sponges out and they are infested with these small snails.
i have read how to deal with snails on this forum and others - cucumber is working - I have taken out about 100 snails this way over the last 2 days - i already have 5 clown loach ( 2 are 7 yrs old so quite big - getting bigger with all teh snails on the menu)
But I have thousands - so the plan
take all the bottom sand out - wash the plants, ornaments in tank water
Dont put the old juwell sponges back in - let the external fluval 405 do the job
Buy new sponges and new substrate
make sure no pesky snails still in tank
Clean out fluval 405 - trying to keep as much bio media in - but getting rid of any snails
Put in new substrate and new sponges with out turning filter on
Keep the fluval going on its own for a week - check new sponges to see if any snails - if all OK start up both filters
Q) does this sound a good idea - I dont like using chemicals.
Anyone ever experienced such an infestation - I cant believe i have not seen them before - but the clown loach obviously get the ones that come out of hiding
Thanks for the help on the filter topic after I had a few power cuts - the story has got worse though
Story - Trigon 350 - running with no problems for over 5 years
Powr cut caused huge leak - temp in tank went down to 19 degrees celcius - so very cold before the power came back on
Fish all OK
problem is that all of a sudden there were literally thousands - and i mean thousands of small snails all over the bottom of the tank - these guys are tiny.
When the heat went back to normal - most of the snails have disappeared and I have realised that they are living in the internal juwell filter - I am up to my 6 monthly tank chack (ironically at teh end of this month) - so have not inspected teh filters for - well 6 months.
I have taken all the sponges out and they are infested with these small snails.
i have read how to deal with snails on this forum and others - cucumber is working - I have taken out about 100 snails this way over the last 2 days - i already have 5 clown loach ( 2 are 7 yrs old so quite big - getting bigger with all teh snails on the menu)
But I have thousands - so the plan
take all the bottom sand out - wash the plants, ornaments in tank water
Dont put the old juwell sponges back in - let the external fluval 405 do the job
Buy new sponges and new substrate
make sure no pesky snails still in tank
Clean out fluval 405 - trying to keep as much bio media in - but getting rid of any snails
Put in new substrate and new sponges with out turning filter on
Keep the fluval going on its own for a week - check new sponges to see if any snails - if all OK start up both filters
Q) does this sound a good idea - I dont like using chemicals.
Anyone ever experienced such an infestation - I cant believe i have not seen them before - but the clown loach obviously get the ones that come out of hiding