snail health

[Greengirl]

I'm somewhat new at this marine tank business and unusual in trying to have a monoculture of either Caulerpa or Halimeda (2 tanks) and whatever hitchhikers came along. I've been struggling against purple stringy (hair algae?) and brown fluffy algae accumulations on everything. I got some ceriths, a couple of bumble bee snails, and nerite snails (and a giant knobby creeper for fun). The smallest and most abundant of these (dwarf ceriths) are thriving but I've had a couple of losses of the nerites. Without fish I've had trouble keeping the nitrogen cycle constant. I have the live rock and a gentle circulating pump, but no other filter/refugeum etc. Mostly I'm using instant ocean and adding ammonia as necessary with occasional phosphate doping, and very occasionally iron or liquid carbon. Any ideas what the snails don't like??

I add ammonia and sometimes it disappears without buildup of nitrate or nitrite, and sometimes I get a buildup of one of those products. I haven't yet gotten the rhythm but I monitor so I can adjust the doping.

 

[Quietman]

What kind of food are you adding?