i have a freshwater fish tank and i recently got some shells from the beach. i took them home, boiled, and rinsed them before placing them in the tank. what are the chances of contamination? how can i test for salt?
2007-02-10 22:25:00 · 8 answers · asked by krazeuno 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
Sea shells by the sea shore eh? Sea shells and corals will raise the PH levels in your tank, this can be good or this can be bad, depending on type of fish you keep! Your everyday tetras or barbs (community fish) prefer PH levels in the mid range, Discus like softer water conditions, but Africans love high PH levels, so crushed corals and sea shells from your sea shore are fine! As for testing for salt, don't worry about it, if any is present at all it will be in the smallest quantity and pose no threat to your tank. Your on the right track when boiling and cleaning(no soap!!!) your findings before placing them in your tank! Good Luck!
2007-02-11 00:48:35 · answer #1 · answered by kaschpint 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No matter what you do with your sea-shells they will always release calcium in your freshwater which in the long run will raise the Ph of your tank and make the water hard. This sometimes could suit some of your fish. If you are keeping livebearers, Puffers, Scats, Monos, gobies, etc then you should be fine. But you're keeping Cichlids, tetras, etc you should avoid sea-shells.
2007-02-10 23:33:40 · answer #2 · answered by steve s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Uh-oh, you're able to be getting puzzled on the conflicting recommend right here. that's genuine, shells will slowly wreck down and upload the calcium carbonate yada yada yada. yet, that's a sluggish technique, and a pair of shells for ornamental purposes isn't any subject in any respect - your water differences will counterbalance any of the sluggish differences to the water. basically try the PH each and every now and then once you're worried. Boiling them is mostly a solid theory, yet purely a jiffy - something you go with to kill on the shell won't final previous the 1st minute, and the greater you boil it, the greater it is going to crumble the shells. That mentioned, i'd additionally forgo the boiling technique if the shells are shop-offered.
2016-11-03 03:29:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What the others have said is true, however I would not take the chance myself. That is only my opinion. Decorations are a lot easier to replace then Fish. Good luck.
2007-02-10 23:25:14 · answer #4 · answered by Ex Head 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you should be fine. boiled water is the best decontaminent unless you want to spend a lot of money on some super duper EPA oil cleanup type quality product.
2007-02-10 22:30:08 · answer #5 · answered by zzzzzzzzz27 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you are a good aquarium owner and change 20% of your water weekly the little bit of salt and calcium released from the shell will be negligible.
2007-02-11 00:28:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The salt should be fine, but they may raise your ph in the tank.
2007-02-10 22:29:25 · answer #7 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Should not be a problem unless you are covering a major portion of tank bottom.
2007-02-11 11:11:06 · answer #8 · answered by xxx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋