Astraea Snails -- Over rated?

[McGene]

In my effort to combat diatoms and generally a nasty looking sand bed -- I purchased about 10 Astraea snails on my last visit to WWC in Orlando (along with some corals...of course).
Sadly, these snails spend most of their time on the glass near the top of my tank -- basically doing nothing to help clean the sand bed.

I have a Rainford goby -- but he is just too small to make any headway. I even have a cucumber and a single conch -- not much good is being done overall.

Coral and fish all seem to be doing well and thriving -- but my sand bed is just a ugly!

Anyone face the same dilemma with success? If so, how did you tackle it?

 

[mitch91175]

CUC will help, but you may want to get to the route cause of the diatoms. A few CUC members that will help are: sand-shifting starfish, conch, cucumbers. Even certain gobies will help as well.

I feel that astrea snails are a little on the lazy side as it relates to CUCs. Trochus sails are the best, but you needing sand cleaners so you are limited in that regard.

 

[RichReef]

Just keep siphoning it manually. I used a piece of hard tube (about 3/8 inch) with nylon hose attached and siphoned it into a 4 inch sock clamped to the side of my sump. The diatoms should disappear on their own but I was OCD about it.

As far as the snails go they are hard workers. A LOT of snails take some time to get going. I don't know why it just seems that most take a few weeks to get comfortable.

 

[saltyhog]

They are much more active at night, that's why you see them gathered at the top of the tank when the lights are on.

I much prefer trochus to astrea snails. Ceriths do feed on the sand. Fighting conch's are also great sand feeders.

The diatoms will go away eventually on their on unless you are adding a source of silicate. Sure it's not something other than diatoms?

 

[Super Fly]

snails don't clean sand, they clean glass and rock work. For sand, Nassarius snails will eat left over meaty food & dead livestock that end of on sand. Red legged scarlet reef hermit crabs will eat detritus to prevent algae forming on sand. Otherwise the best solution is do what RichReef said, siphon sand during water change.

 

[mitch91175]

snails don't clean sand, they clean glass and rock work. For sand, Nassarius snails will eat left over meaty food & dead livestock that end of on sand. Red legged scarlet reef hermit crabs will eat detritus to prevent algae forming on sand. Otherwise the best solution is do what RichReef said, siphon sand during water change.

Or not have sand in the first place.

 

[hart24601]

I only buy trochus snails anymore. Sometimes a big turbo, but mostly trochus.

 

[mitch91175]

I only buy trochus snails anymore. Sometimes a big turbo, but mostly trochus.

They are the best to me. The turn themselves over if they flip and the have babies too.

 

[DSC reef]

Astrea snails are great cleaners but not sand. I'd look into conchs and nassarius to turn the sand. Typically diatoms will run their course unless your somehow adding silicates.

 

[McGene]

Thanks to all. So, how might I be adding silicates? I feed sparingly (I think), and I do frequent water changes.

 

[BigJim]

The video below sheds some light on silica issues even when your RODI water shows zero TDS. I had an issue with diatoms for quite a while even when I had zero TDS and no silica showed up on my Salifert silica test kit. An ICP test confirmed I had high silicate in my water. I no use Spectrapure Silica Buster DI Resin. It is expensive but is lasts a very long time. The BRS solution using different resins should work too.

 

[McGene]

What is an ICP test?

 

[Jet Sled]

My Astraea snails are work horses they clean my sand bed too! Here is a pic of their work bottom right of photo.

 

[McGene]

I think I'll look into the Trochus snails for the future. I'm also going to implement the suggestion to vacuum the sand bed when I do water changes. Just need to figure out a nice simple DIY vacuum.

 

[Super Fly]

I think I'll look into the Trochus snails for the future. I'm also going to implement the suggestion to vacuum the sand bed when I do water changes. Just need to figure out a nice simple DIY vacuum.

u can always just stir the sand with a long algae scraper while leaving powerheads on at 100% and let the filter sock catch the detritus/diatoms/large particles.

 

[Sailingeric]

I think I'll look into the Trochus snails for the future. I'm also going to implement the suggestion to vacuum the sand bed when I do water changes. Just need to figure out a nice simple DIY vacuum.

Just pick up a gravel vac from your LFS or Petsmart/ Petco. They are cheap and easy.

 

[Jet Sled]

I have 3 Astraea snails, 5 trochus, 5 turbo and 10 nessarius. This is my sandbed currently about 2 weeks after the previous pic I posted which was covered with detritus. A good mixture will help knock it down fast!!

 

[davocean]

I like a good mix of snails, ceriths, astreas, nassaurius, nerites, and will be adding trochus.
Each cover different areas.

I do however vac the surface of sand very lightly during WC's, and I just use a siphon hose, and I may take a wide blade scraper and groom the surface a bit.

 

[McGene]

I love this forum. You guys all give such helpful advice. Thanks.
Will be implementing a number of these fine suggestions.