Re: Rift lake cichlids without lake salts -Reply

[anggrek@juno.com (Tsuh Yang Chen)]

On Mon, 26 Jan 1998 08:40:38 -0600 William Vannerson
<William_Vannerson@ama-assn.org> writes:

>>>... I've added oyster and clam shells (that I brought home from
>restaurants after dining out).  the shells have increased pH and
>hardness and added buffering capacity to those tanks.<<
>
>Interesting idea.  How do you process/prepare them for your tanks?

actually, i don't do anything but wash them (to get the cooking oils or
whatever out).  the shells basically "melt" very slowly, leaching out
calcium and whatever else they are made of (sorry, i'm not a chemist...).
 it's not necessary to grind or crush them.  they also make good caves
and hiding places for catfish and apistos.

i can't tell you how much the hardness increases but it does raise the pH
(i've measured it, it went from very acid - 6.5 - to slightly alkaline). 
i assume that it raises hardness too.

tsuh yang chen, new york city

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