"How do I know if there is too much algae in an outdoor fish pond or pot?" tracks the potential issues with too much algae in my fishes environment.
I keep goldfish outdoors in large, ceramic pots, approx 50 cm in diameter x 80 cm tall. The pots contain pond weed, and there is some algae on the inside of the pots, but it hasn't seemed to bother the fish up to this point.
I have been considering purchasing snails from the local fish shop (aquarium, not fish and chip shop :) ). I have a some concerns:
Do I get more than one snail per pot? The overabundance of snails is addressed by "What are some effective non-chemical methods for controlling the snail population in an aquarium?"
Will the snails eat the algae and not the plants?
What attributes should I look for in the snails I purchase for my particular type of setup?