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08/09/2020, 08:42 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 7
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Shells Breaking Down
Hi there,
We have a 40 gallon reef tank comprised of LPS and SPS corals, along with inverts, nems, and fish. We are noticing that empty shells (like empty snail shells, empty crab shells)are breaking down VERY quickly. This seems like it would be abnormal and cause for concern. Any idea what would cause this? Water parameters are as follows:. Ph: 8.2 Nitrate: 3 (had spike in Nitrates a few weeks ago, but have since corrected) Calcium: 500 Alkalinity: 7.3 SG: 1.025 Any suggestions or if you can point us to a thread where this has already been discussed that would be great. Thanks! |
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08/10/2020, 12:02 AM
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#2 |
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RC Mod
 Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
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Do you mean molts from crabs? Those should break down quite rapidly. What type of snail shells are these? There might be enough organics in the matrix for them to disappear fairly quickly.
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Jonathan Bertoni |
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08/10/2020, 07:13 AM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 7
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Thank you for the response. I mean shells, like empty snail shells. Shells not molts.
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08/10/2020, 08:40 AM
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#4 |
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Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,985
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Endolithic alga, sponges and fungii will dissolve any carbonate substrate. Some of the variables are local or surface boundry layer pH, species present, available nutrients, denisty of the substrate (ratio of calcite to arraganite).
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"Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek |
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