Snails not lasting long...

Hello everyone, I'm new to 3reef but I read the posts for advice all the time. SW newbies rely on sites like this... trust me. Anyways, I've been hvaing a problem keeping my snails active/living for longer than a month. They start ok, get slower, get slower, get slower, flip over, and die. Before I get too deep, here is the overly-extensive background info:

I have a 29 gallon reef tank with 35-40 lbs of LR and a 2-4" substrate of sand & cc. I have a pair of clowns, a banggai cadinal, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 sally lightfoot, 6 dwarf blue leg hermits (still tiny), 1 red inkia star. All of those guys have been great for almost a year... no problems. I have tried several types of snails (turbos, ceriths, nassarius, nerites, astreas), but all seem to slow down and die within a month or so. I know the crabs could be the culprits, but I have never witnessed it. I watch my tank all the time, and never spotted a crab vs snail battle (odd?). However, my Sally did get caught with his claw around a peppermint shrimp (RIP). The pep could have been dead already, but who knows... i like to give my sally the benefit of the doubt.

As far as meds go, I dose brightwell 2-part reef and occassionally iodiine (to help molts). I also use "The brightwell system" for reducing algae/nutrients (this system is something i started months ago because i received a suggestion from a trusted LFS. It uses microbacter and biofuel. Not sure what you guys have heard/think about this). My levels are 0 for nitrates, phosphates, ammonia. PH is around 8.2, SG 1.024, temp 78-80. I run a bakpak protein skimmer, chemi-pure, phosphate pad, and have 3 koralia nano powerheads. I premix, preheat, and aerate all water (RO water used).

Ok, now I don't think its lack of food... it cant be. I am always battling GHA, and my tank is well established/well fed. I aclimate the snails by "the bag method" and slowly add my water over about 2 hours. I dont do the drip method, but I am very slow and cautious when acclimating. I also don't think its all the crabs fault. Maybe a couple, but not all of em. I turn the snails over whenever I see them on their backs, about once evry other day. I never see crabs going after these flipped snails. But i hvae seen my cleaner shrimp aggressively going after a snail that was obviously on its way out.

I've heard stray voltage or exposed metal can cause this, but my star is great and I dont know how this could be happening. Any ideas?

*Sorry for all the details, but i figured I would skip the first 10 posts of asking questions. Any help or suggestions would be great.

 

Not all snails will go for GHA. Have you left your glass dirty for a few days to give the snails a chance to munch on something? I have no stray algae in my tank, so I don't clean for three days once every two weeks. I've only lost two turbos, but they were in my tank for well over a year. If you can't do this, I'd suggest experimenting by placing some dry seaweed under a rock and see if the snails go for it. This way you know that it isn't a food issue.

 

You're adding iodine and not testing for it? If so, that could not only explain your snail deaths but it could explain your hair algae problem.

 

Also just because the reading on the cheap test kits read 0 doesn't mean it's really 0.
They can't read on a low scale.
If you have GHA problem you have a NO3 and PO4 problem. Algae needs both to grow.
If you don't have a GFO reactor then get one and start looking for a better nutrient export method: better skimmer, refugium, algae turf scrubber, vodka ect. Just general things to look into. Your skimmer may be fine or it may not be pulling skimmate like it should. So many variables here but I really don't think it's necessary to ever add iodine even if you test for it if you do occasional water changes.
If you haven't already..I would set up a carbon reactor too just incase there is some other substance poisoning the inverts. Have you done a copper test or know of the tank ever being a freshwater tank from another owner? Inverts are very sensitive to metals and the carbon would really help.

 

Thank for all the quick replies... awesome.

I know it's frowned upon, but I don't regulary test for iodine. Honestly, I havent dosed iodine in 6 months, but my problem began about 9 months ago. Even then, i added 5 drops every other day - suggested by a CRAP lfs. I have my water tested by my good LFS once a month, which includes iodine. Besides that, i do weekly tests for Nitrate, Amm, Phos, Ph, Alk (cheap kits). I know that GHA will use all the nitrates in the water which results in my 0 reading, but someone always asks about nitrates so I included the reading. BTW, my GHA is not out of control or anything, just annoying to clean every couple weeks. "Raise your hand if your with me" - all hands raise lol.

I also dont test for copper, but i highly doubt thats the cause. My linkia star, cleaner shrimp and crabs are all doing great. Copper wouldn't only affect the snails, right?

As much as i didn't think this, it may be the food supply. It's hard to belive it, but that seems to make sense. Reason being, the "brightwell system" i mentioned is meant to keep the tank clear of excess nutrients. Since beginning this syetm, I have only had to clean my glass once a week or so. Before this, it was about every 2 days. I'll try dropping some seaweed and see what happens.

* How expensive is a decent carbon reactor? I haven't looked into it much because I currently have a small tank with no sump or extra space for equip. Does this make a huge difference?

Thanks for all the help guys, and girls.

 

No problemo!

You can just run some activated carbon in an HOB filter or you can get a HOB mixed media reacter like this: ViaAqua Poly-Reactor (Multi-Media Reactor) and just put some carbon in there