Snails have destroyed my filtration system:

[djm761]

Snails have destroyed my filtration system:



I was looking at the 90g and noticed all the algae was gone the glass looks like a new tank, I pulled the prefilter from the emperor and it looked like it was bleached, I then opened the canister that hasn't been cleaned in almost a year and found the media as clean as could be, I thought for awhile but had no idea what went wrong, I thought the bacteria must have died off when the temperature was at 89, but when I started to reassemble the canister it felt sandy, I then realized sand shouldn't be under the lid so I found a magnifying glass and was surprised to find tiny tiny snails thousands of them, Now how do I get rid of them.

Note: The filter from the emperor is atleast 2 months old if not older.

 

[FlameTetra333]

Try bleaching the filter.

 

[OrangeCones]

I'd gladly take the media for my puffer. She'd be in heaven picking it clean.

Not sure how to eradicate them without destroying your bacteria though.

 

[Chef]

You can buy couple of these Assassin Snail (Clea helena)
here a link for you Tropical Freshwater Inverts for Freshwater Aquariums: Assassin Snail, Clea helena

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I have had snails in filter media before. They likely are not doing any harm unless they are getting into the mechanical parts such as the impeller. They may be doing some good as far as working on bits of uneaten food, algae or other organic stuff. Could be an indicator of overfeeding??