Adding Calcium

W

Welsh

Member
Jun 25, 2010
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0
1
South Wales, UK
For the past few weeks I have been trying different methods of calcium to get a stronger shell on my snails and shrimp. I have tried cuttlefish bone, shells, egg shells and now hikari crab cuisine, there is a slight difference but not much. Now I want to try adding something straight to the tank so what are the best quick ways to get a stronger shell? I've heard feeding powdered milk daily helps but will it change the colour of the water?

Thanks
 
B

BeavisMom62

Member
May 6, 2010
5
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FL
For my apple and mystery snails, I add Kent's liquid calcium and/or just regular human calcium supplements. Preferably calcium carbonate without vitamin D. The snails will actually eat the calcium pills and it doesn't cloud the water. I did the same thing when I was breeding ghost shrimp. I guess it helped, but I didn't have them for very long. But my snail's shells are healthy.
 
D

dw1305

Global Moderators
Staff member
May 5, 2009
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36
Wiltshire nr. Bath, UK
Hi all,
Some foods are calcium rich, try feeding a "Brassica" vegetable like Cabbage or Spinach or Green beans (either French or Runner). Both shrimps and snails like Green beans.
I have tried cuttlefish bone, shells, egg shells
Click to expand...
These should all work, they are the aragonite form of calcium carbonate, and this is more soluble than calcite. I'd try leaving a small bit of cuttle bone in the tank.

cheers Darrel
 
D

dw1305

Global Moderators
Staff member
May 5, 2009
1,396
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36
Wiltshire nr. Bath, UK
Shirakura Liquid Mineral Ca+

Hi all,
"Shirakura Liquid Mineral Ca+", from Johny70's link. I'm sure this works, and is a good product for shrimps, but I'm not sure what you get for £10 is value for money, does it have a contents list on the bottle?

It says "raises GH, but not KH", and is "liquid calcium". My suspicion would be that it is a solution of calcium chloride (most other calcium compounds aren't very soluble or would raise KH as well), in which case making your own would be lot cheaper.

I'd be tempted to add a small amount of magnesium as well to your water.
You can buy magnesium sulphate "Epsom salts" - MgSO4.7H2O, calcium sulphate (Gypsum - CaSO4.2H2O) and calcium chloride flakes (CaCl2.2H2O) really cheaply from "home brew" shops (or even more cheaply for some via "Aquarium Plantfood UK" <http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/category.php?id_category=9>.

I had a look at Google and at the first one up - "Copper Kettle Home Brewing" for 200g of all 3 they were about £2.50 each. The only other thing to consider is that calcium chloride and magnesium sulphate are very soluble in water, but calcium sulphate isn't.

If I was making my own I'd use the values in this link for Re-mineralising R.O. from the excellent "James' Planted Tank"- <http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank//RO.htm>

For each 25L of tank water (you can add it as dry powders) you add.

0.4g Calcium Chloride Dihydrate (CaCl2.2H2O)
2.0g Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate (CaSO4.2H2O)
2.0g Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate (MgSO4.7H2O)
(0.7g Potassium Carbonate - You don't need this for the shrimps, but it won't do any harm, "Aqua Essentials" or "Fluid Sensor" will sell it).

This gives:
24ppm Calcium
8ppm Magnesium
(16ppm Potassium)
7ppm Chloride
GH=5
(KH=1)

cheers Darrel
 
Mooo

Mooo

Member
Aug 11, 2010
1,876
3
36
Jervis Bay, NSW, Au
Awesome thanks for that Darrel...
I have trouble keeping strong shells on my snails, I have soft acidic water, & have tried the cuttlefish bone, Snail was not interested...
Good to know it is something I can rectify...
 
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