Any advice on adding seashells, freshly plucked from the Atlantic, in a 20 gallon freshwater tank? I've been told to wash them in hot water, and then soak them in treated water before placing them in the tank. I'm still concerned about salt or other chemicals leeching into the water.
Seashells to Freshwater Tank
- Thread starter LisaLev
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G
Guest
Guest
hmmm. don't seashells have calium carbonate? im not to educated on this topic but i thought you weren't supposed to put that in a FW aquarium. I know there is a chemical you can get somewhere to test stuff to go in your aquarium, i just use stuff that i buy from the LFS or online that's made for aquariums.
FMJnaX
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Try Hydrochloric, or muriatic, acid. Vinegar also works. If it bubble and fizzes, don't use it.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can use seashells in a freshwater tank safely. Most will up the pH.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would be cautious about adding a seashell to your tank. Is it the tank in your profile, with the livebearers and angelfish? The types of FW fish that would benefit from the buffering action of the shell are certain types of Rift Lake cichlids. The minerals that dissolve from the shell would help keep the pH buffered at the higher range (7.8 or beyond) that they like.
Do you have a pH test kit, or a GH/KH test kit? What is the pH now? If this shell is adding dissolved minerals to the tank, this could cause a pH spike and stress to the fish.
You could try a test: Pour some tap water and let it sit for 24 hours (called aging) and test the pH. After 24 hours, test again. Now put the shell in the water, and test the pH after a few days to a week. You could also test the KH value too. If the pH or KH does not change after about a week, meaning that minimal mineral dissolving is happening, it should be safe for the tank.
Do you have a pH test kit, or a GH/KH test kit? What is the pH now? If this shell is adding dissolved minerals to the tank, this could cause a pH spike and stress to the fish.
You could try a test: Pour some tap water and let it sit for 24 hours (called aging) and test the pH. After 24 hours, test again. Now put the shell in the water, and test the pH after a few days to a week. You could also test the KH value too. If the pH or KH does not change after about a week, meaning that minimal mineral dissolving is happening, it should be safe for the tank.
Kari
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have a question on this one...someone said to soak the shell in bleach water (can't remember who) but I tried that with a shell last night. After about 10 to 15 minutes, the water had gotten all cloudy, and an hour later, when I moved the bowl, the white stuff in it moved like it was some kind of solid form...almost like a fungus or something. What's up with THAT 8O
