Snails during cycling

[hoodoo]

I'm just in the middle of cycling. I'm not getting real ammonia spikes though... it's only at .25 after almost 2 weeks. That's where it started too. And I got the raw shrimp in it...

But my question is, what I can do about snails now. I seem to have gotten a couple of them on the rock. Now they are happily "running" around all over the tank. 2 of them are real big, one about an inch. For me they look like nassarius snails. They are not digging into the sand but they have this long antenna. Shall I just keep them in there or take them out?

[dx7fd2]

More than likely the snails will not survive the nitrogen cycling of the tank. If you have another tank to keep them in, it would be a good idea. Make sure you check for the Nitrite spike after the ammonia spike, when the nitrite spike subsides (usually about 3-4 weeks) the Nitrate level will go up. Most inverts do not survive well with high nitrate levels!!

Your tank is going to go through another complete cycle when you add the live rock, even if it is cured.

Drew

[hoodoo]

well, I'll put them in my small tank, that's no problem.

I know how the nitrogen cycle works. Done it more than ones. Just don't get any spikes this time. After almost 2 weeks there is barely any ammonia in there. And no nitrite at all. I don't really get it.

I have more than 40 pounds of rock in there. It's barerock but was perfectly cured and not out of the water for more than 10 seconds. Maybe that's the reason.

[dx7fd2]

Sounds like the rock was cleaned of any dead stuff...cool!! We like the quick cycle!!

[hoodoo]

I put raw shrimp in the tank. And I feed heavily (for the snails I guess

So there must be a lot of bacteria in there already. And I put a nice wellused filterpad from the small tank in the sump to boost the bacteria ...