I currently have some lava rock with 4 pieces of live rock that I bought at a local store. Some of the live rock is coloring out nicely with multiple colors. The lava rock is doing nothing. The tank has been up for about three months.

I have been losing snails lately, and based on a couple of post am concerned that it may be from the lava rock putting non desirables in the water.

I would like to switch out the lava rock with utah rock and was wondering if someone had some extra, that they are not using.

Tank size is 55 gal? 1 yellow tang, 3 green chromus, 2 feather dusters, a few less snails and multiple crabs. Filter is a wet/dry.

Thanks for the responses!

Another question. I only have the nitrate test, out of the list of different test that Mark listed. I am also not sure of what all of them are by the abreviations. Would it be possible to pay someone in the group to run the test and see which parameters are out of line. Then I could buy those specific tests, allong with with a new base kit. The one that was donated with the aquarium is 15 years old according to the notes. I'm not sure things are still accurate!

The live rock was fresh from the fish store, I don't think it has had any negative contact other than air (guess that slows down the process). I have some dead coral pieces and crushed coral that are also in the tank. They have been dry for about 4 years and I'm not aware of any chemical contact.

The lava rock went into the tank fairly dirty. The garden hose doesn't give out as much pressure as a car wash idea that I read in another post. Chalk that up to a learning experience.

I would also like to get hold of some micro alagae or whatever it is that people use in a refegium (?), would it work in the main tank? My tank looks dead compared to some of the pictures.

I live in the Eagle Mountain area so Townsend would be the closest followed by Mark.

My current readings for the test that I have are

PH 8.0 - 8.1 my oldest record is on 10/15/05 and it was between 8.1 - 8.2, The Nitrate is 0 - 1.2 (no change), Nitrite 0 - .1 (no change), Amonia 0 (.1)

I would like to set up a time that I could pick up some rock and see your tanks. My cell number is 801-362-9407 

Had my water tested at Aquarium Creations. Everything checked out ok. They were leaning towards the lava rock as being the issue.

Alkalinity 10.2 DKH

Calcium 370 ppm

Salinity 1.023

Nitrate < 20ppm

Nitrite 0.01

Amonia 0

Was that in there yesterday?

I agree with Nate. It may be a Mantis or a rock crab, especially if the snail shells are ending up in a bit of a pile in one area of the tank.

If so, there are some nifty ways to catch or kill those guys.

I haven't heard any clicking in the tank, and the problem wasn't centralized. They would fall off what ever it was they were climbing on. I would turn them over if they landed on the shells, but I would find them not far from where I uprighted them upside down again. Maybe my tank just likes escargo. At least I am loosing snails not major $$$ items. If you have to learn, learn cheap.

I have lost the snails in order of purchases my asteria first and then the margarita. This to me looks like a time exposure to something that was unfriendly. ( I do still have a couple of asteria )

I have replaced the lava, with the purchase of some live rock and some donated Utah rock. So at this point I guess I'm  in a wait and see what happens mode.

Smart move.

But if snails continue to die, Phosphate from the Lava Rock could still be in the culprit. I would definitely get the Phosphate tested and let us know the number. A very high level of Phosphate can kill snails and like you have learned, Lava Rock is famous for leaching Phosphate and other undesirables.

Water changes will help but if there was extra phosphate it is most likely bound up with organic molecules which also makes it unreadable in the test. If it is there, hidden, it will continue to dissolve back into the water. For this reason, I would also recommend using a few changes of Activated Alumina. It is usually sold as "Phosphate Sponge."

If you decide to do Activated Alumina, I can fill you in on more details about it's use.