What's the 411 on Wonder Shells??

[Old Scales]

I found an article dealing with water Redox in relation to a healthy aquarium. It seems people with extremely soft water can lack sufficient magnesium and calcium plus other traces the even soft water tetras and aquatic plants need.
My water during good rainfall turnover in our supply lake can have a KH as low as 3 dKH. Indeed my last test showed GH of 4 and KH of 3.
What has been anyone's experience with these Wonder Shells I see advertised?
Are they hype or would they help add a little Ca & Mg without making the water TOO hard?? Your input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, OS.

 

[Rivercats]

I used them with my Goldies Brian and they will raise your GH and KH a lot. As they dissolve you have no control over how much is released. That was fine with the Goldies to counter act the extreme acid conditions they would cause. I wouldn't use them in a planted tank for sure.

 

[aqua_chem]

A GH/KH of 3-4 is plenty for plants assuming it consists of both magnesium and calcium. If you're maintaining a reasonable water change schedule, you'll be replacing your mineral content enough to keep plants happy.

 

[Old Scales]

I religiuosly do 40-50% WC's every sixth or seventh day. Clean HOB's every time. Clean
canister every other WC.
Aqua, hope you are well. I've never tested for Ca or Mg and would love to know. I could call our water treatment people and ask. Thanks for jogging the thought out of me. LOL
We get an annual water quality report but don't think I saved it.
Janis, thanks for the info on the wonder shells. Don't think I'll be considering them now.
Lord, their advertising claims they cure everything from bad water to gout, dropsy and heart disease. YEAH RIGHT! OS.

 

[aqua_chem]

If you're dosing with CSM+B, you are supplying at least some magnesium. For fans of overkill, you can get Epsom Salt (MgSO4) for $4/lbs

 

[Rivercats]

All I can say is they do help in goldie tanks but as for being "wonder shells".... not really!

 

[Old Scales]

Aqua, no, I'm leary of using straight MgSO4. I think I'll leave well enough alone and quit over thinking this thing. Thanks again. OS.

 

[Rivercats]

Brian I've used it and Epson salt before and they are fine. Many people use MgSO4 in their macro mix when dosing PPS-Pro.

 

[aqua_chem]

I've used it as well without problem.

 

[Old Scales]

Could you guys tell if it made any difference? OS.

 

[aqua_chem]

I couldn't. I don't think magnesium was my problem, but I was using a carpet-bomb approach to a problem at the time (ie, overkill).

 

[Rivercats]

I actually had magnesium deficiency issues with some of the plants in the Goldie tanks and was using MgSO4 along with the Wonder shells which seemed to add more calcium than anything. But it did help with my problem. My anubia's especially were having light tissue with dark vein issues. A couple other plants were the same.

 

[Old Scales]

Janis, I've been shooting 15ml of PO4 a day. I will until I get up to 5+ppm. I've had more new red growth on the L. Peruensis and the AR mini in the last two days so far than I have in a month previously. I'm surprised! OS.