Benefits of Applying Water Chemistry (Hard water) in Snail Farming

Truly, water is vital, one of the most important classes of food. Yes, water will be generally classified as food that aids snail productivity, health, and general well-being.

NOTE: You can’t give snails any water you see in your environment.

I’m aware that some farmers in the name of treating their snails right give them bottled water and other clean or distilled water. Let me disappoint you by telling you that snails do not need any treated water for optimum growth.

I’ll let you know in this short narrative article why snails drink dirty water in the forest and yet do better than those on our farms.

Knowing about soft and hard water

Firstly, you should know that the hardness or softness of water is determined by the mineral content of both calcium and magnesium.

Hard water is water with excess calcium and magnesium, while soft water is free from these harsh minerals that can damage your home and body.

BUT !!! Does it affect your Snails negatively?

Those of you who had the basic knowledge of the Chemistry of “Hard water” and “Soft water” will understand this more clearly.

I’ve told most persons who came across me that sachet water or tap water is not good for the general well-being of snails. This clean water could be one reason why most farmers always have issues with their snails showing signs of a lack of calcium so often, which contributes to their shell growing deficiency and also leads to their death eventually.

All the treated waters lack some basic dissolved elements or minerals that originally make water hard. Hard water contains a lot of minerals that support the advancement of the snail’s life, especially CALCIUM.

Hard water contains minerals like Calcium and iron that are useful to the snail’s health. But soft water like bottled water does not contain these elements. Even the sachet of water is soft water, not good for snails.

Examples of different forms of water

The usefulness of Hard water for snails

Hard water when taken by animals provides calcium salts which are required for the formation of strong bones.

Hard water helps animals like SNAIL and crabs in the formation of their shells which are mainly Calcium trioxocarbonate (IV)

Sharing Experience

A few days ago I met a local snail farmer who manages his farm in his backyard… Someone introduced him to me as a snail farmer, and we had to exchange ideas. I told him I came to get some oyster shells to be burnt and grinder for my snails, and his jaw dropped. He told me he has never heard of grinding oyster shells or Egg shells for snails before. When I asked him about the water he gives them it was a local pit dug on the ground. I exclaimed, No Wonder!

And you know what? His snails are doing just super fine. I stopped giving my snails tap water or sachet water, it saves me a lot of calcium deficiency palavers.

I hope you gained something. If YES kindly share it in my comment section.