On the subject of plants, I was told that Java moss was like an aphrodisiac to snails, and having tried breeding tanks both with and without the java, there does seem to be a greater yield in the "with" set up. Not massively so, but it's worth considering if any one wants to start breeding colonies fast.
All the best from Bill.
Revamping my snail operation.
much has changed since posting this, i have an extra 75g stand(and old one) which i am putting a top on and using it in my room in front of a westward faing window which gets sun all day.
I pretty much settled on using one larger breeder tank(30-50g breeder) and a 10g for RCS. I figured with the larger tank i could use it as an el natural setup...or try to since i get rather good light at the location with a ton of java moss and some crypts or w/e else will grow in the lower light. I figured since the over feeding of the snails would lend to great natural fertilizer and the snails would eat any algae that would start to grow. Now its just the decision of what kind of snail, common pond or red ramhorn. I was gonna do seperate small tanks(10gs) and have 2 10g pond and 2 10g ramhorn but this seems easier and would give me a larger tank to do something with rather than have a bunch of 10g's floatin around.(i already have 1 10g already).
I also have an extra 20g long with stand that i dunno what to do with.
I pretty much settled on using one larger breeder tank(30-50g breeder) and a 10g for RCS. I figured with the larger tank i could use it as an el natural setup...or try to since i get rather good light at the location with a ton of java moss and some crypts or w/e else will grow in the lower light. I figured since the over feeding of the snails would lend to great natural fertilizer and the snails would eat any algae that would start to grow. Now its just the decision of what kind of snail, common pond or red ramhorn. I was gonna do seperate small tanks(10gs) and have 2 10g pond and 2 10g ramhorn but this seems easier and would give me a larger tank to do something with rather than have a bunch of 10g's floatin around.(i already have 1 10g already).
I also have an extra 20g long with stand that i dunno what to do with.
I don't see any reason why you couldn't have both kinds of snails in one tank. Also I have an aquaclear on my snail breeder. Yes there are always some snails in the filter media but it has never affected anything. I get so many snails in my 10 gal that 10-12 snails in the filter doesn't keep my puffers from being fed, in fact i usually pick them off the media and drop them right into my puffer tank. If you're looking to consolidate and cut expenses use what you have and you may be surprised by the results.
Oh, and if you are planting your sap tank you will be able to use clippings from your plants in the snail breeder, every week my breeder gets some new clippings that either start to die and get eaten by the snails or grow and get egg sacks laid on them.
Oh, and if you are planting your sap tank you will be able to use clippings from your plants in the snail breeder, every week my breeder gets some new clippings that either start to die and get eaten by the snails or grow and get egg sacks laid on them.
i have an aquaclear on the 5 gallon snail breeding bucket i have now for my DP. I esitmate alot of losses from just rinsing the media out weekly. With the air driven sponges, i can also drive a sponge in the adjacent 10g shrimp tank and if i choose to, a 20g as well. All while only using roughly 4 watts of electricity, and i can probably cram quite a few sponge filters into a 40-50g breeder.
as for 1 speices of snail, generally, one tends to out compete the other, as with my snail breeding bucket, i am left with almost all red ramhorns while the pond snail pop is dwindling.
I feel the ponds are the better choice in the beginning when the SAP's are small, but when they grow to adult size, i have a feeling the size of the ramhorns(they grow larger faster) may be the better choice.
**edit**
oh, the SAP tank is planning on being a high tech planted tank with pressurized c02.
edit2*****
could someone recommend a decent airpump that is reasonably quiet and will run 6+ airstones for the sponge filters in tanks 10"-18" deep?
As of right now i am leaning towards rena, but i really dont have a clue about air pumps. I'd like to get one of those non diaphram ones but they cost like 200 dollars minimum and i dont think i need something like that. At least the rena's are rebuildable.
as for 1 speices of snail, generally, one tends to out compete the other, as with my snail breeding bucket, i am left with almost all red ramhorns while the pond snail pop is dwindling.
I feel the ponds are the better choice in the beginning when the SAP's are small, but when they grow to adult size, i have a feeling the size of the ramhorns(they grow larger faster) may be the better choice.
**edit**
oh, the SAP tank is planning on being a high tech planted tank with pressurized c02.
edit2*****
could someone recommend a decent airpump that is reasonably quiet and will run 6+ airstones for the sponge filters in tanks 10"-18" deep?
As of right now i am leaning towards rena, but i really dont have a clue about air pumps. I'd like to get one of those non diaphram ones but they cost like 200 dollars minimum and i dont think i need something like that. At least the rena's are rebuildable.