Raising KH With Coral or Oyster?

[LibraKoi]

Hello,

I have heard that you can raise your KH using either crushed coral or oyster shells. Does anyone know a good place to purchase either of these without any additives? Also how much would I use and how often would it need to be replaced?

Thank You

 

[DoDad]

Try your feed stores for the oyster shells grit. Some places stock it for chicken grit.

 

[Mmathis]

Do you have a Tractor Supply store? They carry crushed oyster shells, and as DoDad said, also try feed stores (the oyster shells are sold for chickens as a source of calcium).

 

[DoDad]

What's you pH? With a high pH it doesn't dissolve very well.

 

[LibraKoi]

Thank you all. My PH is 7.2-7.4. I found the coral, you would use the oyster shell instead of the coral? I can call a few places if the oyster is better.

 

[crsublette]

Thank you all. My PH is 7.2-7.4. I found the coral, you would use the oyster shell instead of the coral? I can call a few places if the oyster is better.

It depends on which have the smallest granules. I have not heard of how coral or oyster shell is better from each other except coral is often mixed with aragonite products. I would go with an Aragonite mix product, such as graded Carib Sea Aragonite Reef Sand, which is in a larger sand granule, but often the oyster shell is cheaper and most available due to it is a main component in feed for egg laying hens. Aragonite is what is often used in aquarium sands, except you do not want something this fine unless you can contain it; for Aragonite, you mainly want to look for something that is 1.5~2.0mm granules or slightly larger

All these products mainly consist of calcium carbonate, which the carbonate portion is what raises the KH.

The best calcium carbonate product that I have used, which is more soluble at higher pHs, is Lithaqua, which is a calcified algae that is heavy in calcium carbonate; although, there is availability issues with Lithaqua. If interested then check out the thread, Lithaqua. Look into it if interested.


Due to the solubility concerns, even though the product is soluble up until a pH of 8.2, then a quite significant amount of the product needs to be used. So, most folk use a pulverized oyster shell product, such as oyster shell grit used to feed hens, and use alot of it. Use it mainly where the is moving water, or put it in a bag or build yourself a DIY water filter filled with it or in planted pots and bogs or other plant beds or possibly even streams if cleaning the stream is not too much of a concern.

These complex formations of calcium carbonate are more so to slow down the consumption of KH a bit... Some think it is irrelevant since they think, "if it does not instantly raise KH right away, then it is pointless", which is quite shallow.


I do not use these complex calcium carbonate products as a primary action to raise KH, except I still do use them. However, I have had extremely good results from Lithaqua, which I did use Lithaqua as my primary course of action to raise KH.

If your concern is to raise the KH much sooner, then I would use a more soluble product, such as baking soda, which is talked about in the thread, pH & KH - Questions [and a Good Article].


If you do choose to go to a feed store, be sure it is just oyster grit and not including other probiotics that help hens. There is some hen oyster grit that have all sorts of stuff in it and you do not want this. Just nearly pure oyster shell grit. There are feed stores that sell just pure oyster shell grit, but you might have to look around.


Whatever you choose.... just don't clean it.. the dust will simply dissolve faster and will only cloud the water for a couple days or so.

 

[LibraKoi]

Okay, now I'm confused. lol I've read the articles, thank you for the info. Would love to try the Lithaqua; however, the price may be to high and the wait. I have found both the coral (at a salt water fish place) and the oyster (at the feed store). My concern is the oyster may have additives, would they tell me? Who knows. It is a person from Microb Lift that initiated the thought for either one. Source water is only 35.8 KH and is very soft. PH is 7.2.

Has anyone/or knows of anyone that has had luck in using either one is these products to raise KH? I would be looking into mesh bags in my filter at the top of the waterfall. The other option could be a smaller filter just filled with that spouting out a PVC pipe. But would the air hitting the flow before reaching the pond pose a problem?

Thank You

It depends on which have the smallest granules. I have not heard of how coral or oyster shell is better from each other except coral is often mixed with aragonite products. I would go with an Aragonite mix product, such as graded Carib Sea Aragonite Reef Sand, which is in a larger sand granule, but often the oyster shell is cheaper and most available due to it is a main component in feed for egg laying hens. Aragonite is what is often used in aquarium sands, except you do not want something this fine unless you can contain it; for Aragonite, you mainly want to look for something that is 1.5~2.0mm granules or slightly larger

All these products mainly consist of calcium carbonate, which the carbonate portion is what raises the KH.

The best calcium carbonate product that I have used, which is more soluble at higher pHs, is Lithaqua, which is a calcified algae that is heavy in calcium carbonate; although, there is availability issues with Lithaqua. If interested then check out the thread, Lithaqua. Look into it if interested.


Due to the solubility concerns, even though the product is soluble up until a pH of 8.2, then a quite significant amount of the product needs to be used. So, most folk use a pulverized oyster shell product, such as oyster shell grit used to feed hens, and use alot of it. Use it mainly where the is moving water, or put it in a bag or build yourself a DIY water filter filled with it or in planted pots and bogs or other plant beds or possibly even streams if cleaning the stream is not too much of a concern.

These complex formations of calcium carbonate are more so to slow down the consumption of KH a bit... Some think it is irrelevant since they think, "if it does not instantly raise KH right away, then it is pointless", which is quite shallow.


I do not use these complex calcium carbonate products as a primary action to raise KH, except I still do use them. However, I have had extremely good results from Lithaqua, which I did use Lithaqua as my primary course of action to raise KH.

If your concern is to raise the KH much sooner, then I would use a more soluble product, such as baking soda, which is talked about in the thread, pH & KH - Questions [and a Good Article].


If you do choose to go to a feed store, be sure it is just oyster grit and not including other probiotics that help hens. There is some hen oyster grit that have all sorts of stuff in it and you do not want this. Just nearly pure oyster shell grit. There are feed stores that sell just pure oyster shell grit, but you might have to look around.


Whatever you choose.... just don't clean it.. the dust will simply dissolve faster and will only cloud the water for a couple days or so.

 

[LibraKoi]

What's you pH? With a high pH it doesn't dissolve very well.

PH is 7.2-7.4

 

[crsublette]

Okay, now I'm confused. lol I've read the articles, thank you for the info. Would love to try the Lithaqua; however, the price may be to high and the wait. I have found both the coral (at a salt water fish place) and the oyster (at the feed store). 1) My concern is the oyster may have additives, would they tell me? Who knows. It is a person from Microb Lift that initiated the thought for either one. 2) Source water is only 35.8 KH and is very soft. PH is 7.2.
2) Has anyone/or knows of anyone that has had luck in using either one is these products to raise KH? I would be looking into mesh bags in my filter at the top of the waterfall. The other option could be a smaller filter just filled with that spouting out a PVC pipe. But would the air hitting the flow before reaching the pond pose a problem?

Thank You

1) My concern is the oyster may have additives, would they tell me?

Often times, the manufacturer will release a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) of all, or most products. So, in Google, just type the name of the product followed by "MSDS". Some of them are helpful, but, if there is nothing that is necessarily harmful or toxic to humans, then the MSDS sheet will not show much. However, there are occasions when they will tell you if it is harmful to fish or aquatic life.

The best bet is to read the products description and ingredient list, if it has one, and try to find one that does their best to share this information. However, you might be fine with particular additives, such as hen probiotics, but the general rule is try to find the most pure product.

If you want to be very safe, then buy the more expensive oyster shells that can be found at local fish stores since these will most definitely be safe for your fish.

Don't work your self up into too much of a paranoid mess, second guessing yourself. Sometimes... it is good to drink a few cervezas or sangrias before making the purchase so to calm the nerves.


2) Source water is only 35.8 KH and is very soft. PH is 7.2. Has anyone/or knows of anyone that has had luck in using either one is these products to raise KH? I would be looking into mesh bags in my filter at the top of the waterfall. The other option could be a smaller filter just filled with that spouting out a PVC pipe. But would the air hitting the flow before reaching the pond pose a problem?

With only knowing those water parameters, then I bet it will help you, but the extent of the help depends on many variables. The extent to which these complex calcium carbonate products, such as oyster shells, will help you will depend on your KH consumption rate, biological presence in the pond, volume of rainfall, and how / where the material is installed. So, some folk's pond will need a little, others might need much more, and others will find they might also need to use baking soda as well on occasion, as described in the above thread.

Personally, I would recommend the pond to have a high KH, such as mentioned in the previously mentioned hyperlink, but everyone is different and I know many pond hobbyists that have been quite fine without a high KH. Just keep an eye on your pH and, if it fluctuates quite a bit, as described in post#18 of thread "Water pH and Peat Moss", then you might need to address it.

The best way to install the product is to place it so most of the product's surface area is covered with water, such as squeezing water through the mesh bag of oyster shells. However, if this is not possible, then just do the best you can by placing it anywhere you can and use the most you can.


Nah, air hitting the flow before reaching the pond would not pose a problem, and, actually, it would be beneficial.

 

[addy1]

Okay, now I'm confused. lol I've read the articles, thank you for the info. Would love to try the Lithaqua; however, the price may be to high and the wait. I have found both the coral (at a salt water fish place) and the oyster (at the feed store). My concern is the oyster may have additives, would they tell me? Who knows. It is a person from Microb Lift that initiated the thought for either one. Source water is only 35.8 KH and is very soft. PH is 7.2.

Has anyone/or knows of anyone that has had luck in using either one is these products to raise KH? I would be looking into mesh bags in my filter at the top of the waterfall. The other option could be a smaller filter just filled with that spouting out a PVC pipe. But would the air hitting the flow before reaching the pond pose a problem?

Thank You

I use the oyster shells to raise our kh, our well water is down in the almost unreadable range for hardness, think last time I tested it was one drop, (disclaimer it has been awhile) i.e. very soft Our well ph is 5.4.

With the oyster shells I can keep the pond around 125 kh and ph is around 7.7 or so. I add 100 lbs every spring. I just dump them into our bog on top of the pea gravel, lots of water flow

 

[LibraKoi]

I use the oyster shells to raise our kh, our well water is down in the almost unreadable range for hardness, think last time I tested it was one drop, (disclaimer it has been awhile) i.e. very soft Our well ph is 5.4.

With the oyster shells I can keep the pond around 125 kh and ph is around 7.7 or so. I add 100 lbs every spring. I just dump them into our bog on top of the pea gravel, lots of water flow

I just bought 25lbs of oyster and coral mixed. Would I rinse it or just put into a bag then in filter?

 

[LibraKoi]

So the feed store had oyster and coral mixed, so I guess they decided for me. She assured me nothing else was added--straight from the ocean floor--she says. Should I wash it or just throw it in? I got a few thistle bags to house some. I can also hook up my old bio-filter. Its round and put some in there shooting out the PVC about 2.1/2 ft. up. Does the oyster/coral need air or light source to do their thing? I bought 25 lbs.

Thanks


QUOTE="crsublette, post: 218118, member: 3847"]1) My concern is the oyster may have additives, would they tell me?

Often times, the manufacturer will release a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) of all, or most products. So, in Google, just type the name of the product followed by "MSDS". Some of them are helpful, but, if there is nothing that is necessarily harmful or toxic to humans, then the MSDS sheet will not show much. However, there are occasions when they will tell you if it is harmful to fish or aquatic life.

The best bet is to read the products description and ingredient list, if it has one, and try to find one that does their best to share this information. However, you might be fine with particular additives, such as hen probiotics, but the general rule is try to find the most pure product.

If you want to be very safe, then buy the more expensive oyster shells that can be found at local fish stores since these will most definitely be safe for your fish.

Don't work your self up into too much of a paranoid mess, second guessing yourself. Sometimes... it is good to drink a few cervezas or sangrias before making the purchase so to calm the nerves.


2) Source water is only 35.8 KH and is very soft. PH is 7.2. Has anyone/or knows of anyone that has had luck in using either one is these products to raise KH? I would be looking into mesh bags in my filter at the top of the waterfall. The other option could be a smaller filter just filled with that spouting out a PVC pipe. But would the air hitting the flow before reaching the pond pose a problem?

With only knowing those water parameters, then I bet it will help you, but the extent of the help depends on many variables. The extent to which these complex calcium carbonate products, such as oyster shells, will help you will depend on your KH consumption rate, biological presence in the pond, volume of rainfall, and how / where the material is installed. So, some folk's pond will need a little, others might need much more, and others will find they might also need to use baking soda as well on occasion, as described in the above thread.

Personally, I would recommend the pond to have a high KH, such as mentioned in the previously mentioned hyperlink, but everyone is different and I know many pond hobbyists that have been quite fine without a high KH. Just keep an eye on your pH and, if it fluctuates quite a bit, as described in post#18 of thread "Water pH and Peat Moss", then you might need to address it.

The best way to install the product is to place it so most of the product's surface area is covered with water, such as squeezing water through the mesh bag of oyster shells. However, if this is not possible, then just do the best you can by placing it anywhere you can and use the most you can.


Nah, air hitting the flow before reaching the pond would not pose a problem, and, actually, it would be beneficial.[/QUOTE]

 

[Sunshine]

My pond and aquarium use to crash. I found out about these 2 things to correct the problem. I use oyster shells in my aquarium and a huge slab of rock (not sure what kind) but it has lime in it for my pond. Neither has crashed since.

 

[addy1]

I don't rinse it, the powder makes the pond a cloudy mess for a little but it too helps with the hardness.

 

[crsublette]

My pond and aquarium use to crash. I found out about these 2 things to correct the problem. I use oyster shells in my aquarium and a huge slab of rock (not sure what kind) but it has lime in it for my pond. Neither has crashed since.

And it is quite astounding that there are Debbie Downers saying that what you are experiencing is so uncommon that the possibility is low that it can be confused with being impossible.

Of course, it might not work out so well for every one, but it might work out quite well for everyone else. Thus, the product is still worth having in the water, while applying the appropriate disclaimers of when it won't work as described in my previous posts.

I swear it feels like I have to write a disclaimer every time, for the Debbie Downers, when I write about the beneficial impacts of these complex calcium carbonate products, such as oyster shells or coral or aragonate or etc etc etc..