API pH Up and Mystery snails

hello, I need to bring my pH up in my mystery snail tank, I have had to use it API pH up before so I'm aware of the slow process but I'm not sure if it is safe to use with my mystery snails as they are very sensitive to alot of things like this. Does anybody have experience using it with mystery snails? Is it okay or a heck no? Thanks for any advice!

 

What is your current pH? I would try to raise it more naturally like with crushed coral. Stay away from things like API Up and pH buffers. They can cause a lot of problems.

 

What is your current pH? I would try to raise it more naturally like with crushed coral. Stay away from things like API Up and pH buffers. They can cause a lot of problems.

Its about an even 7.0 I just recently started to notice some damage at the front edge. My male has been wild lately, so that has something to do with it, but 7.0 is definitely to low.

 

Its about an even 7.0 I just recently started to notice some damage at the front edge. My male has been wild lately, so that has something to do with it, but 7.0 is definitely to low.

I would put a bag of crushed coral in the filter. It will harden the water and raise the pH.

 

7.0 is absolutely fine for mystery snails.. I wouldn't change your pH at all.. it is more likely that the issue is dietary

 

7.0 is absolutely fine for mystery snails.. I wouldn't change your pH at all.. it is more likely that the issue is dietary

Ah you sure? I'm not saying your wrong in any way, I just always see people recommending 7.4-8.0.
Their diet honestly is pretty good, lots of algae wafers, Mineral junkie bites, green beans, omega one veggie kelp pellets super color,, and snello including collard greens, broccoli, kale, omega one super color flake, and lots of calcium carbonate powder. I've also got a giant wonders **** in the tank and today I went and got a cuttlebone. Their diet I think is pretty good but I am ALWAYS looking for something with more calcium and I just cannot find anything for these guys other than what I already feed. Lol I'm the guy in isle 9 staring at fishfood for an hour reading every ingredient. So im always open for new things to try!

 

Ah you sure? I'm not saying your wrong in any way, I just always see people recommending 7.4-8.0.
Their diet honestly is pretty good, lots of algae wafers, Mineral junkie bites, green beans, omega one veggie kelp pellets super color,, and snello including collard greens, broccoli, kale, omega one super color flake, and lots of calcium carbonate powder. I've also got a giant wonders **** in the tank and today I went and got a cuttlebone. Their diet I think is pretty good but I am ALWAYS looking for something with more calcium and I just cannot find anything for these guys other than what I already feed. Lol I'm the guy in isle 9 staring at fishfood for an hour reading every ingredient. So im always open for new things to try!

Hm I don't know then, can you describe the damage you're seeing or provide a pic? 7.0 is the minimum pH but I wouldn't expect it to degrade your snails shells at 7, maybe if it went to 6.5 or below. Then again I had an apple snail just die on me (parameters were perfect) and my ph is 7.0 on nose. I second crushed coral as an option, pretty much the only thing I would try

 

Hm I don't know then, can you describe the damage you're seeing or provide a pic? 7.0 is the minimum pH but I wouldn't expect it to degrade your snails shells at 7, maybe if it went to 6.5 or below. Then again I had an apple snail just die on me (parameters were perfect) and my ph is 7.0 on nose. I second crushed coral as an option, pretty much the only thing I would try

Here's some pictures!
3 Different black mysteries. (Ones surfing the cuttle upside down)

 

Here's some pictures!
3 Different black mysteries. (Ones surfing the cuttle upside down)

It does look like damage haha I'm stumped. Sorry I can't help more

 

Gh is way more important than ph when it comes to inverts. Ph should be stable but it has no impact on a snails shell, gh does. You can have high gh/hard water but have a low ph. Get some gh strips before you mess with the ph.

 

Gh is way more important than ph when it comes to inverts. Ph should be stable but it has no impact on a snails shell, gh does. You can have high gh/hard water but have a low ph. Get some gh strips before you mess with the ph.

My gh is actually low, just tested it and its about 75. Just did 50% WC today

 

My gh is actually low, just tested it and its about 75. Just did 50% WC today

Well thats your problem. Snails need calcium (which you will have a lot of if your gh is high) for their shells to form and grow. Sucks to say but your water is terrible for snails. I would try crushed coral in your filter and see if it makes a difference. I would try and get the gh to a 8 or above and keep it stable. Alternatively you could use ro water and reminalize it with salty shrimp plus, seachem equilibrium, etc.

 

Well thats your problem. Snails need calcium (which you will have a lot of if your gh is high) for their shells to form and grow. Sucks to say but your water is terrible for snails. I would try crushed coral in your filter and see if it makes a difference. I would try and get the gh to a 8 or above and keep it stable. Alternatively you could use ro water and reminalize it with salty shrimp plus, seachem equilibrium, etc.

Okay thanks alot I appreciate it!

 

Well thats your problem. Snails need calcium (which you will have a lot of if your gh is high) for their shells to form and grow. Sucks to say but your water is terrible for snails. I would try crushed coral in your filter and see if it makes a difference. I would try and get the gh to a 8 or above and keep it stable. Alternatively you could use ro water and reminalize it with salty shrimp plus, seachem equilibrium, etc.

Actually one more thing, wonder shell. Whats it good for i haven't found any specifics

 

Actually one more thing, wonder shell. Whats it good for i haven't found any specifics

It raises gh and adds calcium and magnesium into the water slowly as it breaks down. I've personally never used them but it may work.

 

It raises gh and adds calcium and magnesium into the water slowly as it breaks down. I've personally never used them but it may work.

Thats what I thought, thats possibly why its down right now because the one I have in is about dissolved just realized that. Thanks again!

 

This is my mystery snails shells after a year in pH 6.2. Not good.

7.0 isn’t terrible, but if you really want to raise your pH you can use baking soda. Google the measurements, and add a fraction of that in with water changes until you maybe got it up to 7.6. Remember to keep adding tiny amounts with water changes. Crushed coral is a good idea too. Also use unflavored cuttlebone to raise your pH instead of wonder shells because it’s way cheaper.

 

This is my mystery snails shells after a year in pH 6.2. Not good. View attachment 731321
7.0 isn’t terrible, but if you really want to raise your pH you can use baking soda. Google the measurements, and add a fraction of that in with water changes until you maybe got it up to 7.6. Remember to keep adding tiny amounts with water changes. Crushed coral is a good idea too. Also use unflavored cuttlebone to raise your pH instead of wonder shells because it’s way cheaper.

Anything below 7.0 is considered acidic isnt it? Which would ruin their shells. And i actually just put cuttle in a couple days ago and I also have a giant wonder shell in. I'm really starting to wonder if its my conditioner I use or I maybe using to much. Also maybe to large of a water change. I just did a 50% just before this post, but I also have alot of bioload. Like A LOT lol. Neon tetras, kuhlis and a bunch of mysteries. My Kh was testing 0. The GH came back up, its at about 150 now. But 0 kh is kinda leading me to think to much conditioner. I tested my tap water and it's perfect. It doesn't even show any chlorine. Should I not use any conditioner?

 

Anything below 7.0 is considered acidic isnt it? Which would ruin their shells. And i actually just put cuttle in a couple days ago and I also have a giant wonder shell in. I'm really starting to wonder if its my conditioner I use or I maybe using to much. Also maybe to large of a water change. I just did a 50% just before this post, but I also have alot of bioload. Like A LOT lol. Neon tetras, kuhlis and a bunch of mysteries. My Kh was testing 0. The GH came back up, its at about 150 now. But 0 kh is kinda leading me to think to much conditioner. I tested my tap water and it's perfect. It doesn't even show any chlorine. Should I not use any conditioner?

You should still use conditioner. What is the pH of your tap? I don’t see how water conditioners would affect KH. And correct, anything below 7 is considered acidic. Water changes probably aren’t affecting your pH unless you were adding something to raise or lower it, which i believe currently you are not. The only way I can think of it affecting the pH is if you had ammonia in your water (lowers pH) which if you did, there would be an entirely different issue.

 

You should still use conditioner. What is the pH of your tap? I don’t see how water conditioners would affect KH. And correct, anything below 7 is considered acidic. Water changes probably aren’t affecting your pH unless you were adding something to raise or lower it, which i believe currently you are not. The only way I can think of it affecting the pH is if you had ammonia in your water (lowers pH) which if you did, there would be an entirely different issue.

Tap had 40kh and 7.2ph my current kh is at 0. I did a little test last night with a vile of tap water and test strips. Started with 0 conditioner, then a drop and test, 2 drops and test, 3 drops and test and so on. And the difference was slightly lower each time. This is why I said possibly my conditioner. And my amonia level with api liquid test is what looks like 0. I also have seachem alert series that suction cups to the glass that reads 0 but im not sure how much I trust that lol and no I am not adding anything other than conditioner during WC's

 

Tap had 40kh and 7.2ph my current kh is at 0. I did a little test last night with a vile of tap water and test strips. Started with 0 conditioner, then a drop and test, 2 drops and test, 3 drops and test and so on. And the difference was slightly lower each time. This is why I said possibly my conditioner. And my amonia level with api liquid test is what looks like 0. I also have seachem alert series that suction cups to the glass that reads 0 but im not sure how much I trust that lol and no I am not adding anything other than conditioner during WC's

Huh, that’s odd. Perhaps there is a metal or such in your tap that shows up as KH, and your conditioner removes it. That’s my best guess. Even if no chlorine shows up on your test I would DEFINITELY still add conditioner because you could have chloramines or other toxic substances in your water.

 

Huh, that’s odd. Perhaps there is a metal or such in your tap that shows up as KH, and your conditioner removes it. That’s my best guess. Even if no chlorine shows up on your test I would DEFINITELY still add conditioner because you could have chloramines or other toxic substances in your water.

Thats what I figured. Maybe I'll try a different brand. Thanks for your help!

 

Well thats your problem. Snails need calcium (which you will have a lot of if your gh is high) for their shells to form and grow. Sucks to say but your water is terrible for snails. I would try crushed coral in your filter and see if it makes a difference. I would try and get the gh to a 8 or above and keep it stable. Alternatively you could use ro water and reminalize it with salty shrimp plus, seachem equilibrium, etc.

Hey sorry for the late response, but if I were to use R/O water and use salty shrimp GH+KH how much of a water change would I start with, full or a percent? And where can it be purchased because a filtration system i can't do atm
Thanks

 

Hey sorry for the late response, but if I were to use R/O water and use salty shrimp GH+KH how much of a water change would I start with, full or a percent? And where can it be purchased because a filtration system i can't do atm
Thanks

Before you do that I would try to raise gh with more natural ways like crushed coral

 

Before you do that I would try to raise gh with more natural ways like crushed coral

Okay, ill do that then. Media bag in the filter?

 

Okay, ill do that then. Media bag in the filter?

Yes that should work. Keep me updated on how it goes

 

Yes that should work. Keep me updated on how it goes

I definitely will thanks!

 

Yes that should work. Keep me updated on how it goes

This has seemed to work, i purchased a small corner media/bubbler filter and put crushed coral in it. Thank you!

 

Gh is way more important than ph when it comes to inverts. Ph should be stable but it has no impact on a snails shell, gh does. You can have high gh/hard water but have a low ph. Get some gh strips before you mess with the ph.

Hey I know this is old but I'm dealing with the same issue yet a bare bottom tank for my baby snails. I have crushed coral in mesh bags and also argonite sand in mesh bags. The ph is about 7 but my gh is high. So should be all good or be worried? I do routine and frequent water changes. All my other tanks with the crushed coral on the bottom are perfect. Very hard to clean up a tank with tiny babies with gravel etc. So I keep it bare and tie plants to tumbled agates .