Water Too Soft For Snails?

[lucc]

Hi we have very soft water - 0 - it is desalinated water - there is no other on this island. I just have bought 1 apple snail. I put some charcoal - at the moment only little - to make the water harder. Can this work? Is it safe for fish? My botias are putting it in their mouths when digging in gravel... Help. How to make the water harder? Thank you Lucc.

 

[Essjay]

Charcoal will do nothing to make the water harder. What you need is something made of calcium carbonate eg limestone rocks, corals, shells. You can use crushed coral in a bag in the filter where the water flow will help it dissolve better. I'm not sure that using crushed coral as a substrate is a good idea with botias as it can be sharp, but that's another way.
If you can put a piece of limestone, coral, shell, or even cuttleshell like you give to birds, in the tank that would be a source of calcium for the snail (their shells need it). It would also dissolve slowly raising your hardness a bit, though with a GH of 0, it will only harden it a bit.

 

[lucc]

Charcoal will do nothing to make the water harder. What you need is something made of calcium carbonate eg limestone rocks, corals, shells. You can use crushed coral in a bag in the filter where the water flow will help it dissolve better. I'm not sure that using crushed coral as a substrate is a good idea with botias as it can be sharp, but that's another way.
If you can put a piece of limestone, coral, shell, or even cuttleshell like you give to birds, in the tank that would be a source of calcium for the snail (their shells need it). It would also dissolve slowly raising your hardness a bit, though with a GH of 0, it will only harden it a bit.

Thanks very much for your advice - as we live by the sea - will pick up some shells and boil them for littlebit before putting them in aquarium - also will get hold of that cuttleshell in the pet store and thinking about the limestone and crushed coral maybe for the filter - does it matter where you put it? - sponge, carbon - maybe underneath the carbon? And thanks again!!!Lucc

 

[Essjay]

It can go anywhere in the filter. You could even take the carbon out as it isn't necessary, and put the crushed coral where the carbon is now. The crushed coral will need to be in a mesh bag as it's all little pieces.

 

[lucc]

It can go anywhere in the filter. You could even take the carbon out as it isn't necessary, and put the crushed coral where the carbon is now. The crushed coral will need to be in a mesh bag as it's all little pieces.

Thanks again for the advice, also I have this question now.... I went to beach picked up shells
and also these cluster looking things (white and some are beige)- I understand that these are the hardened
shell or other creatures feaces - they are as hard as a stone - can I use it for my aquarium? How long shall I boil it if the answer is yes? Also I found 3 cuttlefish bones (as I am not english I am not sure If I remember the name right - you know that thing you said are good - people put them in birds cages) again can I use it - I have found it on the beach and again if the answer is yes - how long should I boil it or what to do to stearelize it. Is it gonna be ok in my aquarium - I have also fish harlequins, botias macr., silver dollar, punteus titt. Can I break this bone in small peaces or shall I put in the whole peace? Thanks for help Lucc.