Egg shells to increase calcium for snails

[alphahydrox]

How do you use egg shells to increase the calcium in the water for your snails? Am I supposed to leave the whole egg shell in the tank? Are the snails going to eat it? Do I have to crush it and just leave it there?

[pixl8r]

You just use the egg shell. But the inside and out must be cleaned (boiled) to kill off any bacteria that might live on it. But the calcium content isn't that high. Coral or a cuttle bone have a much higher content of calcium, they are much denser and larger. It would take a lot of egg shell to equal the same amount of the other.

[alphahydrox]

whats a cuttle bone? and how do i "use" an egg shell

[thebullit]

You just use the egg shell. But the inside and out must be cleaned (boiled) to kill off any bacteria that might live on it. But the calcium content isn't that high. Coral or a cuttle bone have a much higher content of calcium, they are much denser and larger. It would take a lot of egg shell to equal the same amount of the other.


as above, crushed egg shells.

cuttle bone or cuttle fish, you can get them from any pet store, they generally sell them for birds but great for snails.

[Max]

If you use a cuttle bone give it a good boil so that it will sink. You might also consider baking egg shells if you decide on using them to kill bacteria and to dry the shell out . I can't believe that I'm typing this but, you can also use a ladies stocking with a little crushed coral in it.
hth
Max

[RoseFishWatcher]

I used a "cichlid gravel" substrate that had crushed coral mixed in. I eventually changed it out because it was ugly as sin. Crushed coral as a substrate (or in the filter) ought to work fine though.