Pool filter sand substrate... To MTS or not to MTS?

1747 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by bradac56, Oct 1, 2009

ayla

Discussion Starter · Sep 22, 2009

I figure there's a good chance I'll end up with them anyway (I always have with planted tanks in the past) but I was wondering if I should purposely try to introduce Malaysian trumpet snails to a 33 gallon planted with pool filter sand substrate. I'll be dosing ferts via the water column and root tabs for the plants that need them.

I've read that the MTS are good for keeping the sand from compacting too much, but when I remember a massive infestation of MTS I once had in a 20 gallon I have second thoughts.

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smoq

· #2 · Sep 22, 2009

If you had them and didn't like the massive population

, I wouldn't do it. You can introduce assassin snails, they bury themselves in the substrate all the time.

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ayla

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 23, 2009

smoq said:
If you had them and didn't like the massive population, I wouldn't do it. You can introduce assassin snails, they bury themselves in the substrate all the time.

Even though I'm not particularly fond of them, I don't hate them. There were just so many! The gravel literally looked like it was alive.

I'd be willing to put up with them if they're good for the plants.

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Burks

· #4 · Sep 30, 2009

I would say yes. I have used PFS for years and always loved having my MTS crawl through there. It never hurts IMO. They were nice to clean up left over food and such.

Really I never had an overpopulation. They only came out at night, for me in THAT tank, and maybe a dozen or so were visible in the day. This was in a 40g breeder that was set up for almost 3 years with MTS from day one, no predators.

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bradac56

· #5 · Oct 1, 2009

Snail explosions are almost always due to a surplus of food in the tank either by over feeding or by certain types of algae that they eat so if your careful with your food and lights/ferts then you should be able to keep there population in check.

Having said that I've got a 29gal tank that's starting to have more babies than I'd like

But I know that's from to much food as my nine year old has been helping me feed the fish lately do to me being sick.

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