Stupid Question Regarding Seashells

Boohoo

Boohoo

AC Members
Feb 22, 2005
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Bridgewater,Nova Scotia
Okay, I posted a question regarding seashells before. I was at the LFS today and she told me that I can't keep seashells in my tank for a prolonged period of time. Here is my problem. My water is extremly soft, as soft as the test strips will read. I have some scallopp shells that I boiled and boiled again to remove the nasties, they may contain. One of my tanks houses goldies and they like hard water my other tank I am just in the process of fishless cycling(clap, clap, you guys finally got through). Is it okay to have them in my tank? The lady at the LFS said they can be there, but not permanently. My water straight from the tap has a PH of about 6.6-6.8 and my total alkalinity is about 40ppm. BTW the tank that is cycling is going to be a community tank. Bottom line ...are the scallopp shells going to hurt anything being in my tanks? I treasure your advice and everthing the LFS tells me I certainly want to confirm here. EXPERIENCE SPEAKS LOUDER THAN PROFIT.
Thanks in advance, Shelley ;)
 
Shelly sells sea shells by the sea shore...
Sorry couldn't help it :D I've alway loved tongue twisters...

Anyway, with the exception of downloader's anecdote, there's nothing wrong with adding sea shells to your tank after having boiled them thoroughly, say about 5 minutes after the water is actually boiling. Of course, clean them out as best you can before boiling them too! But even that's a minor issue while you're fishless cycling, any leftover organic matter, while undesireable in a stocked tank, will only help you along. Of course, do this only if you like the look of the shells in your tank, for buffering up your water a little crushed coral in a mesh bag (or the foot of a new nylon stocking) is probably the easiest and most controlled way to provide some backup for your buffer. But you'll only need to do that if you're adding CO2 for a planted tank.

Really though your buffer isn't that bad. 40ppm is plenty for a non-CO2 supplemented tank. Just be sure to keep up with your weekly 50% water changes and you should be just fine, no need to monkey with anything. As long as you're changing water, you're replenishing the buffer, and as long as you don't overstock you'll be fine, but then, that could be said of any tank. ;)
 
It's actually "She sells seashells by the seashore." The tongue-twister is based on the life of Mary Anning (1799-1847). Her family collected and sold seashells and fossils in Southern Britain to raise money. She's credited with discovering a few new species, and some of her finds are on display in museums. Terry Sullivan wrote the tribute to her.


Wow, I'm a geek. :-)
 
cdawson said:
Sea shells will raise the ph and hardness of the water, unless you're keeping rift lake cichlids or hard water fish I recommend not even trying it.
Click to expand...
I must've read the initial post wrong, I thought that that was the point. Hmmm, well, I guess that most of what I said can be salvaged... :coffee2:
 
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