Alright, i have made a life decision which will allow me to go ahead and set up a larger tank instead of waiting another year or 2.
I plan on keeping a small school of SAP's. Yes....i am crazy. Yes, i will need a lot of snails. Thus, i am re evaluating my snail breeding operation and am looking to upgrade.
Right now i am using a 5gallon bucket. Cheap, but a pain.
I am looking to keep about 5 SAP's in a rather large tank. ~5 saps will eat a lot of snails. Will 2x10g breeders be enough, one with ponds the other with ramhorns?
Or should i go with a 20g long and my current 10g?
Second, filter choices. I have an aquaclear 150 on the 5g bucket and its been doing its job like always, but i find then snails are ending up in the filter media(i am running 3 sponges and they are coated in egg sacks).
I'd also like to consolisate the system, somehow combining the two tanks into one filter, if possible? Would a large spongw filter in each tank be enough running off of one larger air pump? I mean, the aqauclear is a much better filter and it seems the water quality is so so, but i feel i am losing a lot of snails when i do wate changes and clean the filter.
Also, where do i find cuttle bone?
Revamping my snail operation.
I stand by the idea that a sponge filter is best for snail breeder tanks. Prefilters always clog up befor the "main" filter anyways, so why not use a filter which won't clog to begin with?
I can get around 70 snails in my 2.5G easy, so I would think a 5 gallon tank would be more than big enough (but a 10G might be cheaper anyways).
Be sure to grow plans in it too, like Water Sprite and Java Moss, as it'll do a fantastic job at keeping the water clean, the snails will love the foliage to lay their eggs on, it'll add more surface area to the tank for the snails to climb around on, and (IME) you'll only need to change the water once a month once the plants really start to take off (after about a week they should be getting huge).
Just float the plants in the water (no substrate), and put a desklamp shining on the tank with a timer for 12 hours a day. The plants will take care of themselves by pulling the nutrients out of the water, and algae will never be a problem thanks to the snails. The snails will also snack on the Water Sprite too for an extra varied diet, which means more nutrition for your fish.
This is the setup I use, and the plants are doing great, the snails are always plentiful, and the maintance is minimal - just dump in some fish flake food every day and you're set.
I can get around 70 snails in my 2.5G easy, so I would think a 5 gallon tank would be more than big enough (but a 10G might be cheaper anyways).
Be sure to grow plans in it too, like Water Sprite and Java Moss, as it'll do a fantastic job at keeping the water clean, the snails will love the foliage to lay their eggs on, it'll add more surface area to the tank for the snails to climb around on, and (IME) you'll only need to change the water once a month once the plants really start to take off (after about a week they should be getting huge).
Just float the plants in the water (no substrate), and put a desklamp shining on the tank with a timer for 12 hours a day. The plants will take care of themselves by pulling the nutrients out of the water, and algae will never be a problem thanks to the snails. The snails will also snack on the Water Sprite too for an extra varied diet, which means more nutrition for your fish.
This is the setup I use, and the plants are doing great, the snails are always plentiful, and the maintance is minimal - just dump in some fish flake food every day and you're set.
Here are a couple (badly lit) pictures of my snail breeding tank.
Note the density of plants. I also have a sponge filter in there (made for a 10G tank $8, I wouldn't go any smaller than a filter for a 25G tank in a 10G snail breeder tank), the cuttlebone (there are actually two in there), cheap 25W (~$8) heater, hang-on-rim thermometer ($3), desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb (Already had one but you can get them for less than $10 just about anywhere) which is on a light timer ($5 or so, 12 hours on and 12 off). There's also a glass lid on it to cut down on evaporation.
The 2.5G tank was around $5, but if you wanted to go crazy and get a 10G for $10 or so I wouldn't blame you given your plans. But, anything larger than that is overkill since you could easily get hundreds of snails in a well planted 10G setup.
The plants started as a few small cuttings from my planted tank (worth about $2 for the Water Sprite and Java Moss each), but they've grown to well over $10 worth in about a month thanks to all the snail waste and nitrates. Seriously, skip the plants and you'll be changing the water every week at least.
Note the density of plants. I also have a sponge filter in there (made for a 10G tank $8, I wouldn't go any smaller than a filter for a 25G tank in a 10G snail breeder tank), the cuttlebone (there are actually two in there), cheap 25W (~$8) heater, hang-on-rim thermometer ($3), desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb (Already had one but you can get them for less than $10 just about anywhere) which is on a light timer ($5 or so, 12 hours on and 12 off). There's also a glass lid on it to cut down on evaporation.
The 2.5G tank was around $5, but if you wanted to go crazy and get a 10G for $10 or so I wouldn't blame you given your plans. But, anything larger than that is overkill since you could easily get hundreds of snails in a well planted 10G setup.
The plants started as a few small cuttings from my planted tank (worth about $2 for the Water Sprite and Java Moss each), but they've grown to well over $10 worth in about a month thanks to all the snail waste and nitrates. Seriously, skip the plants and you'll be changing the water every week at least.
i only have a small bit of java moss in my bucket right now which only see's ambient room light(it is in front of a dual window).
my plan was to set up 2x10g;s, one for each speices in the back basement which has no windows at all. The reason being is that they do create and odor, i dont think it smells bad, it is just apparent as soon as you step into the room and right now i have it in a room where the smell is starting to become a problem with my mother(i am a college kid living at home).
Second, i really dont want to burn any additional lights. Its bad enough i am going to heat these upgraded tanks and filter them, but to run lights in addition to the main tank is not prefered. Ideally, i'd like to have them in a location which recieves good natural light, but that isnt the case. I'd like myself to use guppy grass in one of the tanks since i've seen pictures of how thick and rampet it can grow in addition to java moss ofcourse.
Thinking about it for a second, i may just make a slight change.
2x10g tanks(i already have one).
1x light strip(I already have an incadesent light strip.)
1xair pump
1x air manifold
X x sponge filter
low light plants
2x heater(i already have one).
thus, my question is, how many and of what brand of sponge filter should i go with, or could i make them myself?
Edit****
also, could someone recommend a decent air pump? Something not too noisey, doesnt eat a ton of electricity and might be able to drive 4 sponge filters or so.
my plan was to set up 2x10g;s, one for each speices in the back basement which has no windows at all. The reason being is that they do create and odor, i dont think it smells bad, it is just apparent as soon as you step into the room and right now i have it in a room where the smell is starting to become a problem with my mother(i am a college kid living at home).
Second, i really dont want to burn any additional lights. Its bad enough i am going to heat these upgraded tanks and filter them, but to run lights in addition to the main tank is not prefered. Ideally, i'd like to have them in a location which recieves good natural light, but that isnt the case. I'd like myself to use guppy grass in one of the tanks since i've seen pictures of how thick and rampet it can grow in addition to java moss ofcourse.
Thinking about it for a second, i may just make a slight change.
2x10g tanks(i already have one).
1x light strip(I already have an incadesent light strip.)
1xair pump
1x air manifold
X x sponge filter
low light plants
2x heater(i already have one).
thus, my question is, how many and of what brand of sponge filter should i go with, or could i make them myself?
Edit****
also, could someone recommend a decent air pump? Something not too noisey, doesnt eat a ton of electricity and might be able to drive 4 sponge filters or so.
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Myaj
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If you have the 2213 and no other use for it, you can use it. Just remember, the more you break up the output, the more pressure you lose. Every bend in the line and every hole for output drops it quite a bit. Putting a second spraybar on might drop it down to a trickle or so.
Since I have it already, my choice would be to use a single airpump with dual outputs (or a splitter), but that's because I already have it. I would be a little worried about a 2213 getting all plugged up with snails and egg sacks, even with a prefilter.
Since I have it already, my choice would be to use a single airpump with dual outputs (or a splitter), but that's because I already have it. I would be a little worried about a 2213 getting all plugged up with snails and egg sacks, even with a prefilter.
thanks, thats the answer i was hoping for.
I am thinking i am not gonna be able to find a use for the 2213 when i upgrade. Its the main filter on my DP 10g, but i wanna get SAP's and a large tank (125g+) and i cant even see running it on the big tank either solely as mechanical filtration because it doesnt have that great of suction(in addition to main filtration).
I am thinking i am not gonna be able to find a use for the 2213 when i upgrade. Its the main filter on my DP 10g, but i wanna get SAP's and a large tank (125g+) and i cant even see running it on the big tank either solely as mechanical filtration because it doesnt have that great of suction(in addition to main filtration).
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Myaj
- Tech Team
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:27 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Bubba, turgidus
Paris, lined burrfish - Location: SE Wisconsin
- Contact:
I agree completely.
My 2213 is always kept running, but I don't consider it a big enough filter for anything but a 10 gallon. So I have it always going on my 33xl, along with a Rena Filstar XP3. It adds a little water movement to the far end, and if I set up a tank in an emergency I just yank the 2213 off the 33 gallon tank and instantly have a very well established filter.
My 2213 is always kept running, but I don't consider it a big enough filter for anything but a 10 gallon. So I have it always going on my 33xl, along with a Rena Filstar XP3. It adds a little water movement to the far end, and if I set up a tank in an emergency I just yank the 2213 off the 33 gallon tank and instantly have a very well established filter.