Reef nutrition

Natural abalone pieces in tank?

PjFish

Supporting Member
Hello
Is their any concern of adding natural ocean ploshed pieces of abalone shells that I get from our coastline specifically north of bodega to sea ranch? I collect them for my daughters jewelry business while fishing hiking down cliff lines to pretty remote locations.The only thing I can think of is if the calcium carbonate shells can absorb any pollutants but that goes along with any shells..I'm referring to the pieces in the pic not whole shells maybe glue a few to rocks mount a torch to a larger piece or have mushrooms attach...
Thanks
Paul
 

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I don’t think it will cause any problems. We leave empty mollusk shells in our tanks all the time without issue. But it won’t stay beautiful for long with coralline and other algae soon covering it.
 
Very in-depth article thank you !! I've never come across it. Interesting how phosphate is needed and converted to calcium phosphate durring shell growth in abalone/corals and other crustaceans. Hence dry rock mined from dry ancient reefs that most hobbyists use can be loaded in phosphates..Just wondering if dry reef rock since it's so porous and crumbly leaches more then harder abalone shells. Plus abalone is so smooth compared to live rock or man made rock would be alot easier to brush off..Just on observation collecting thousands of small abalone pieces and shells their always the shiniest without any algea covering it compared to other rocks and shells even the ones that have never been exposed to air...Maybe theirs more calcium phosphate on the outer part of the shell that gets polished off over time..
Thanks again for the good read I may start soaking them for a while and test levels like curing dry rock folks do..
Paul
 
I don’t think it will cause any problems. We leave empty mollusk shells in our tanks all the time without issue. But it won’t stay beautiful for long with coralline and other algae soon covering it.
Coraline!! you love it or can't stand it lol
 
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