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vacuum and plant eating snails
I have been reading the postings and have surmised that using some soil
under the gravel (2-3mm) is advantageous for the growth of plants.
However, as a hardened fish keeper, recently turned gardener, I have
always acted on behalf of the fish. I instinctively want to clean the
gravel to get polluting muck out of the water. Also I want to keep high
fish population densities. My questions are:
Do those of you who use a partial soil substrate vacuum the gravel, but
carefully. Or do you not vacuum the gravel? Does this cause any problems
that plain water changes can’t take care of?. Would you suggest a rich
substrate for a beginner or should I cop out and just use it in pots for
plants requiring one?.
Also, what would be a typical stocking level per unit surface area.?
I found that snails do eat plants. At least my snail ate some of my
plants. I watched the snail, a ramshorn (with brown and white swirls),
cut off at the base a rotala indica and noticed that quite a few vallis
leaves were floating. There was also an apple snail (I think). He kind
of hung out at the top. I don’t know to what extent he played a part in
the troubles but I took him out anyway so as to show no prejudice. After
the snails were removed there were no more floating leaves. Do I simply
have the wrong type of ramshorn snail?.