# Oyster shell to raise PH?



## Blademaker

How much crushed oyster shell would you add to a 90 gallon tank to raise the ph .5 or so?

Thanks


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## beaslbob

Blademaker said:


> How much crushed oyster shell would you add to a 90 gallon tank to raise the ph .5 or so?
> 
> Thanks


None.

I use live plants to raise pH. Actually the pH in my fw tanks is 8.4-8.8 (api high range test kit). With an oyster shell substrait, sand substrate, or substrate with peat moss.


my .02


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## RhumbaGirl

I used oyster shell to decrease my PH and it worked very fast so that might not be what u are looking for


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## James0816

RhumbaGirl said:


> I used oyster shell to decrease my PH and it worked very fast so that might not be what u are looking for


It *decreased* it? That would be extremely odd as the crushed shells much like the crushed corals actually raise the pH.

I use CC in all my tanks. I conduct a fair amount of experiments with it due to my extremely low pH straight from the well.

For a 90g tank, I would look at starting around 2-3 cups.


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## Blademaker

Thanks James, wanted to get a rough opions before putting this in the tank. Never used it before, all the other tanks I've had to lower PH, first time my PH was so low, but then just moved in too, new house and fairly new well.


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## beaslbob

Blademaker said:


> Thanks James, wanted to get a rough opions before putting this in the tank. Never used it before, all the other tanks I've had to lower PH, first time my PH was so low, but then just moved in too, new house and fairly new well.


Other then adding carbon dioxide for your plants I highly recommend you do not do anything to lower pH.

Your pH is lower then normal because you net tank just setup in a new environment has carobon dioxide that will out gas and be consumed by plants. Which will raise the pH. And reducing co2 in the system is hardly a boad thing for your fish.

In fact I have tanks with fish like neon tetras and hatchetfish that are supposed to "require" pH values of 7 or lower. All the tanks read 8.4-8.8 with the high range api test kit. And the fish have thrived for years.

Again the pH is those high values because the tank have become a consumer of co2 and producer of oxygen each 24 hour period due to plant action.


my .02


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## James0816

Blademaker said:


> Thanks James, wanted to get a rough opions before putting this in the tank. Never used it before, all the other tanks I've had to lower PH, first time my PH was so low, but then just moved in too, new house and fairly new well.


I know of this all too well. Our well water comes out at ~ 5.5 pH. I actually brought in a sample and had our chemist test it.

I had conducted an experiment a little while ago since a lot of people were inquiring about raising the pH naturally. Using 2.5g jugs and 1/4 cup CC, I raised the pH nearly 1 pt. It also buffers the water to hold the values.


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## beaslbob

James0816 said:


> I know of this all too well. Our well water comes out at ~ 5.5 pH. I actually brought in a sample and had our chemist test it.
> 
> I had conducted an experiment a little while ago since a lot of people were inquiring about raising the pH naturally. Using 2.5g jugs and 1/4 cup CC, I raised the pH nearly 1 pt. It also buffers the water to hold the values.


Now try these experiments if you want.

take the water in an open container, in the dark, and just let it set.

ditto with an air stone.

ditto with a bunch of anacharis and under good lighting.


That way you could tell if it was the crushed oyster shell vrs other factors.

I did a test with pint jars, various substrates including crushed coral and the effects of live plants trumped everything else.

my .02


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## James0816

beaslbob said:


> No try these experiments if you want.
> 
> take the water in an open container, in the dark, and just let it set.
> 
> ditto with an air stone.
> 
> 
> That way you could tell if it was the crushed oyster shell vrs other factors.
> 
> my .02


These were my tests...Stand by.....


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## James0816

This was my latest experiment for using Crushed Coral. This was a controlled test. All equipment was sterilized using a triple hot rinse.


Testing Medium consists of (2) 2.5g jugs of my well water and 1/4 cup CC. Testing using API pH liquid drops from API Master Test Kit.

As mentioned, this was a controlled experiment. All variables were maintained. Jugs were stored in the same location. Lids were left loose for natural air diffusion. Testing was conducted at 1800hrs each day.

After initial pH readings were recorded, 1/4 cup CC was added to the jug with the Green lid.

* DISCLAIMER * Results may not be atypical for every water sample due to varying parameters from wells and city tap alike.

The initial setup:


Initial Readings - Day 0


Day 1 Readings:


Day 2 Readings:


Day 3 Readings:


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## beaslbob

Look like that would be a good test of crushed oyster shells and they did increase the pH.

here is a link (with "busted" pictures) of a 1g tank I set up with peat moss and soil master select. Both should result in low pH:


neon nano

bout half way down I reported:

24 hrs later. pH has risen from 6.5 (very very surprising low for straight tap water) to 7.5

And here is another link to a thread of a 20g l I started again with live plants. pH pegged the api test kit at 7.6. Later results with the high range test kit reported 8.4-8.8.

20g long leiden

You can judge for yourself if these planted tanks had a much greater rise in pH then your experiment.

my .02


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## James0816

Don't get me wrong here....I'm not disputing your claims by no means.

I'll have to try and scrounge a couple more tanks for more testing. I like experimenting as that's how you actually learn things.

Just remember my disclaimer....Everybody's water is different. If it were all the same, there would be no issues.


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## beaslbob

James0816 said:


> Don't get me wrong here....I'm not disputing your claims by no means.
> 
> I'll have to try and scrounge a couple more tanks for more testing. I like experimenting as that's how you actually learn things.
> 
> Just remember my disclaimer....Everybody's water is different. If it were all the same, there would be no issues.


Absolutely no problem at all.

For my tests I just used ball/mason canning jars. a dozen was very inexpensive.

experiments are fun. *old dude


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