Blaha Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 (edited) I was cleaning my art studio the other day, and found a bag of huge oyster shells. My wife says they are from a local river and she took them (after raccoons had already killed the organism) and cleaned them some amount of years ago with the idea of scraping off the surface to use the mother of pearl for jewelry. They are huge. About 4-5 inches across by 2-3 wide and tall. Are they safe to use in a fish tank? Is there more I'd have to do to make them safe besides rinsing dust off? Will plants like anubias or java take hold on them as a growing base? I think they'd be a beautiful addition and my fish can hide in them like caves. Edited October 1, 2021 by Blaha Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted October 1, 2021 Administrators Share Posted October 1, 2021 They should work just fine. Know that over time they can dissolve. This will add some minerals to the water. Usually not a problem in a planted tank. However a small tank with very infrequent water changes, could develop some extra hard water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 I use crushed oyster shell the same way people use crushed coral in their tanks. It won’t dissolve super quickly, but it will give you some extra calcium and buffer. To me it sounds like a win-win-win-win! I can’t imagine anything dangerous would be alive on them after years out of the water. Maybe some mold/fungus/algae spores which I wouldn’t be worried about (what tank doesn’t have some algae??), but if you’re really worried you can try boiling them. I’d love to see pictures of them when you have them in your tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 If your worried about some micro organism simply boil them for about 20 min. Problem solved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 I test twice a week and do changes as needed, but I also have been looking into ways to try and up my KH a bit so that could be useful. My water is on the hard side already but also soft compared to just how hard the water used to be at my old house when I wasn't on municipal water so I've gotten used to running hard water 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 I'm doing a test of what these shells could look like while I plan a whole thing. The shells circled in red are the 2 in the tank in the photo. My overall image is a small terracotta pot/pipe with an anubias attached to it, and the pipe would be surrounded by shells and rocks to form a bunch of hiding spots and shape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 Here is the design, ready for some anubias to attach to the terracotta pots. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 The fish will love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 6:55 PM, Blaha said: Here is the design, ready for some anubias to attach to the terracotta pots. This is very creative. I’m sure it will make fish happier than just a pot. 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 11:14 PM, Guppysnail said: I’m sure it will make fish happier than just a pot. 😁 Pot works on fish?.....How is that done? 😂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 7:31 AM, ARMYVET said: Pot works on fish?.....How is that done? 😂 Oh don’t cha know— @Guppysnail ‘s fish have a whole pot garden! 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 7:54 AM, Hobbit said: Oh don’t cha know— @Guppysnail ‘s fish have a whole pot garden! I ve never tried it myself....so I dont know the experience...but if @Guppysnailhas an entire garden of it....well then might be something I have to look into! 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 7:57 AM, ARMYVET said: I ve never tried it myself....so I dont know the experience...but if @Guppysnailhas an entire garden of it....well then might be something I have to look into! On 10/4/2021 at 7:54 AM, Hobbit said: Oh don’t cha know— @Guppysnail ‘s fish have a whole pot garden! My fish love their terra cotta playground. Weeeeeeeee🤣 On 10/4/2021 at 9:03 AM, Guppysnail said: My fish love their terra cotta playground. Weeeeeeeee🤣 Holds lots of bb too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 (edited) Terracotta is raw earthen clay, as in from the ground and not a water deposit. It's very strong and clean and usually left uncoated by anything because they are pots and you don't want leeching. I had just never tried it before now but always knew it was cool Edit: clay after the 1st kiln fire. After a second it becomes a deep chocolate brown which is also beautiful. I took a sculpture class where we dug up clay from a farm in Ohio Edited October 4, 2021 by Blaha Added more 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameCzar Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 6:31 AM, ARMYVET said: Pot works on fish?.....How is that done? 😂 They like edibles. 😉 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 10:39 AM, GameCzar said: They like edibles. 😉 😲 YOU CAN EAT IT?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 8:54 AM, ARMYVET said: 😲 YOU CAN EAT IT?!? The VA here helps veterans get a medical license, and teach about the entire endocannabinoid part of the endocrine system. You can research Bryan Krumm, CNP-P for more information. It's healthier for the lungs, and works as a more effective medicine, when ingested. Tastes like swamp, though. Sometimes tastes like swamp with watermint😅 Has reduced our 22 though, so I am in full support. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 5:28 PM, Torrey said: The VA here helps veterans get a medical license, and teach about the entire endocannabinoid part of the endocrine system. You can research Bryan Krumm, CNP-P for more information. It's healthier for the lungs, and works as a more effective medicine, when ingested. Tastes like swamp, though. Sometimes tastes like swamp with watermint😅 Has reduced our 22 though, so I am in full support. Well....I desperately try to learn something new every day....you all have taught me something new. I doubt I would ever partake in it for my own personal reasons and respect everybody elses choice. My mind is definitely blown! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 I certainly wasn't expecting this turn of events either ha 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMYVET Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 6:19 PM, Blaha said: I certainly wasn't expecting this turn of events either ha I am so sorry...I am pretty sure I was the one who well didnt derail the thread...I am pretty sure I blew the tracks up!💥 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 As for the original question, yes you can put clean oyster and clam shells in tanks. Acidic water will rapidly begin wearing them down, until pH gets to 7.0, and then everything will stabilize... which is good for everyone except fish that need acidic water. Snails, shrimp and livebearers benefit from the balanced presence of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus you find in shells. Of course, if you have a turtle (or apparently my service dog) the shells don't last long as they get eaten🙄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaha Posted October 4, 2021 Author Share Posted October 4, 2021 I got tetras, corys, and loaches so ph is good to be not acidic. The Kuhlis are already enjoying hiding in the shells and pots, and the corys are interested in them too. Poking around at them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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