KH and GH for plants and snails?

[J. Holmes]

Looking to add some supplement to my water for my snails. Their poor shells just cannot stay healthy despite food and wondershell. I was reading where plant KH and GH is different than what is recommended for snails. Where do y’all keep yours? I want to support my snails, but not kill my planted tank in the process. Thank so much! 

[DiscusLover]

On 12/1/2022 at 7:49 AM, J. Holmes said:

Looking to add some supplement to my water for my snails. Their poor shells just cannot stay healthy despite food and wondershell. I was reading where plant KH and GH is different than what is recommended for snails. Where do y’all keep yours? I want to support my snails, but not kill my planted tank in the process. Thank so much! 

Depends on what plant you want ro raise, most plants will grow well in any water so raising hardness will not affect plants. For snails a gh of 8 and a kh of 12 is at least a minimum for them to be healthy. Snails prefer the harder water so adding equlibrium will buffer the water, or adding crushed coral.

Edited December 6, 2022 by DiscusLover

[Guppysnail]

What is you ph?  Snails need over 7 for their shell to not erode. They need calcium in the water and in food. Crayfish empire calcium chips are great zoomed spirulina calcium nano blocks are also great as food. 

[J. Holmes]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:54 AM, DiscusLover said:

Depends on what plant you want ro raise, most plants will grow well in any water so raising hardness will not affect fish. For snails a gh of 8 and a kh of 12 is at least a minimum for them to be healthy. Snails prefer the harder water so adding equlibrium will buffer the water, or adding crushed coral.

I got some equilibrium to add to the water to help them. I had the nano blocks for them as well. I have dwarf lillies, tiger lotus, Amazon sword, Monte Carlo, val, Aponogeton Crispus, anubias, and Java fern. 

[Cinnebuns]

If you are using wonder shells then it's likely the issue isn't with your GH. It could possibly be your PH or diet. They need a PH above 7.0 or it will eat at their shells. They also need calcium in their diet. 

[JoeQ]

On 12/1/2022 at 12:12 PM, Guppysnail said:

What is you ph?  Snails need over 7 for their shell to not erode. They need calcium in the water and in food. Crayfish empire calcium chips are great zoomed spirulina calcium nano blocks are also great as food. 

How about any food with calcium,  or is there a minimum percentage the food should have? So far my assassins like bug bites the most but I believe that only has 1%

[Mmiller2001]

I wish my 4.9pH would have killed my snails. But it didn't. 

[JoeQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 2:18 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

I wish my 4.9pH would have killed my snails. But it didn't. 

Big meanie!  🤣

[Mmiller2001]

On 12/5/2022 at 12:47 PM, JoeQ said:

Big meanie!  🤣

I'm embrace them as pets now. Rather...slave labor!

😆

[JoeQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 2:48 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

I'm embrace them as pets now. Rather...slave labor!

😆

It's not really slave labor,  rather the opportunity to live in a controlled environment based solely on them earning their keep!! And if they don't its off to the salt mines!! 🤣

[J. Holmes]

On 12/4/2022 at 1:51 AM, Cinnebuns said:

If you are using wonder shells then it's likely the issue isn't with your GH. It could possibly be your PH or diet. They need a PH above 7.0 or it will eat at their shells. They also need calcium in their diet. 

I feed them the nano blocks. Is that enough? I know my PH, GH, and KH were too low. Working on fixing that. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/5/2022 at 5:21 PM, J. Holmes said:

I feed them the nano blocks. Is that enough? I know my PH, GH, and KH were too low. Working on fixing that. 

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with nano blocks. 

[J. Holmes]

On 12/5/2022 at 10:20 PM, Cinnebuns said:

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with nano blocks. 

They’re the zooMed feeding blocks. They contain: Calcium Sulfate, Plankton, Spirulina Algae Meal, Magnesium Sulfate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2 Polyphosphate (stabilized Vitamin C), Thiamine Hydrochloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Beta Carotene.

 

also: reran my tests today. PH is now 7.6. KH: 6 and GH: 12. Is this good? I was looking at getting something to raise my KH, but it mentions raising the PH as a side effect. I can’t go any higher on my PH. Suggestions? 

[JJenna]

On 12/6/2022 at 10:08 AM, J. Holmes said:

PH is now 7.6. KH: 6 and GH: 12. Is this good? I was looking at getting something to raise my KH, but it mentions raising the PH as a side effect. I can’t go any higher on my PH. Suggestions? 

After battling this as well I've come to the conclusion that nothing in my tank has super special needs (snails, shrimp and otos atm). Yesterday my readings were PH 7.6, KH 3 GH11. Everything is thriving, I'm making small corrections to my GH through water changes having over-compensated trying to raise the GH of my RO water. I keep reminding myself...you used to have 2 55 gal tanks with cichlids in the 70s thriving with well water and no testing was ever done, just regular water changes. I'll get to the KH when GH is lower. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy what I have in the tank.