Snails dying, crabs ok

New tank has been set up for 10 weeks. Purchased appr. 50 lbs of live rock from LFS. After cycling, water parameters are as follows (using SeaChem test kit):

pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Alkalinity 6
Copper 0

After introducing various snails 8 weeks after set up, all died within 3 days. Hermit crabs seem to be doing OK, but mushroom coral added from an established tank has withered and died as well.

I am afraid to begin stocking with fish since the snails have perished. Suggestions???

 

Did you use RO/DI water? What's your salinity? How did you acclimate? Do you have algae growing in the tank? If so, what type(s)? and if not, how are you supplementing the snail's diet?

 

test for copper?

also get the alk up to 8

 

+1 Salinity and available food.

 

+2 curious about salinity

 

snails will tend to be much more sensitive to ammonia and other environmental stressors. Have you tested ammonia? or salinity with a calibrated refractometer?