Adding oyster shells

[Cdsdave]

I picked up some oyster shells and was wondering if I should do a KH test before applying them? My PH has been about 8. Usually test it in the afternoon but today tested it in the morning and came up with about 7.5. Hard to get a more exact number with the Pond care liquid tester. I'm not sure of the KH since I don't have a tester for it yet. Going to order one from Amazon. Should I wait on using the shells till I find out the KH? Thanks!!

 

[sissy]

oyster shells stabilize your ph .I tested just to see if it would change anything ,nope ph has been at 9 for 5 years now and fish are happy and no deaths .Dollar store laundry bags work great

 

[Cdsdave]

Sissy, I also see you use Sweet PDZ stall freshner. I got a bag at tractor supply, the 25 lb granular size. Those grains seem pretty small. Does your laundry bag contain them? Seems like they would slip through. The bag said granular so I imagine that's the biggest size. It said they also make powder and I knew better then to get that. Thanks for the reply earlier!

 

[addy1]

I put a 100 lbs of oyster shells in every spring, our water is very soft and acidic. They keep the pond in the 100 range and ph in the 7.6 range.

I just pour them into the bog where water is running, they are gone by fall.

 

[capewind]

I know lots of folks use oyster shells but before today, never noticed a thread with people saying how much they add. We use crushed coral, but for those wanting to use oyster shells, can those using it state how many gallons their ponds are, and how much you add, how many times a year. It would help those who want to try it have a ballpark idea of how much to use.

 

[addy1]

I add 100 lbs, (our water is ph 5.5 zero readings on hardness (well) rain acidic also), usually once a year, if it goes away fast I add another 100 lbs. I do not rinse it, it does cloud the water when first put in, but with my system the cloudiness goes away within a few hours. I put it where the water flows fast in the bog.

Pond and sub ponds over 10k gallons.

 

[sissy]

I put 5lbs in each filter and hang 5 lbs in my water fall area and 5 lbs under my bridge . I double up the laundry bags for the pdz .Sometimes it is fine when i get it out of the bag I use a finch sack from my finch feeder but most times just doubling up the bag works .Other times I have used tulle and wrapped it in that and then put it in the laundry bag .But most times doubling up the bag does work as the mesh on the bags I get is pretty fine .Granular comes in different sizes also .