Don't have my water totem yet. I remember it being hard on my first solo shaman, needed to boost him to get it. I did see that water shield helps with mana, might get that on the other toon also. I normal rotation is LB (to pull), drop totems, LB and finish with melee.

For eatrh, I drop stoneskin on one and stoneclaw(is that the slowing one?), and both drop searing totem.