Abalone Shells as buffer?

[hobbes4]

I've read here and some other places that oyster shells have been used as a buffer for pH in FW aquariums. Would abalone shells serve the same purpose? I guess at the very least it would be a nice tank decoration.

 

[hobbes4]

Nobody? Does anybody even use oyster shells?

 

[msjinkzd]

yes, they will buffer the water. I leave empty snail/sea shells in my tanks which have hard water requirements. Alot of the time people will opt for putting some crushed coral in a media bag in their filter instead.

 

[hobbes4]

Does it matter if i crush/break up the shell (abalone) or just put it in whole?

Also, i hear your suppose to bake or boil the shell before you use it.

 

[msjinkzd]

It will leech either way. I always boil mine before putting them in.

 

[hobbes4]

Okay, thanks!

 

[RDBeard]

Does it matter if i crush/break up the shell (abalone) or just put it in whole?

the abalone shell is made up of calcium carbonate and aragonite, both of which are good buffering agents. It would seem that having them crushed/chipped would expose more surface area and therefor increase effectiveness.

 

[Thomas18]

The greater the surface area the better it will work, so if you break it up you will have a greater surface area.