# Crushed Coral



## BarryH (30 Mar 2020)

I was watching one of the Mark's Shrimp Tanks videos last night where he was setting up for Red Cherry shrimps. During the video he mentioned the importance of "crushed coral" when setting up the tank.

Can anyone broaden my shrimp knowledge by telling me what it does and why we should need it please?


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## thatblokeoverthere (30 Mar 2020)

As I understand it crushed coral, or other carbonate containing substances like limestone, can be used to bump up the hardness of your water if needed. 

Sent from my MI 9 using Tapatalk


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## dw1305 (30 Mar 2020)

Hi all, 
What @thatblokeoverthere says. Red Cherry Shrimps don't do well in really soft water. 

Coral sand is the biological "aragonite" form of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and slightly more soluble than ground limestone. There are some ethical issues in its use, but crushed Cockle or Oyster shell offer the same advantages and can be bought, really cheaply, as "chick grit" for chickens and caged birds.

cheers Darrel


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## BarryH (30 Mar 2020)

Thanks for the help.

Severn Trent shows the water in my area as 6.80 which seems within the usual listed parameters for Red Cherry (6.5 - 8.0) but looks a little on the low side.


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## dw1305 (30 Mar 2020)

Hi all, 





BarryH said:


> Severn Trent shows the water in my area as 6.80


I'd imagine that should be fine for Cherry Shrimps, they are pretty resilient. Another option is a <"Cuttle "bone"> they sell these for Budgies etc. and they work pretty well.

If you put a little bit in the snails and shrimps will pick at it, and if the water gets below pH7 it will start to go into solution.

cheers Darrel


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## BarryH (30 Mar 2020)

Thanks again Darrel. Really appreciate the help.


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## dw1305 (30 Mar 2020)

Hi all, 





BarryH said:


> Really appreciate the help.


I've always been both skint and really tight with money, so I know a lot of cheap alternatives to "branded" products.

cheers Darrel


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## BarryH (30 Mar 2020)

At the minute, it also helps if you have a pet shop just round the corner that sell cuttlefish bone.


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## Gill (30 Mar 2020)

BarryH said:


> At the minute, it also helps if you have a pet shop just round the corner that sell cuttlefish bone.


 Is That Coussins by any chance.


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## BarryH (30 Mar 2020)

Gill said:


> Is That Coussins by any chance.


That's a new one on me Pardeep. Not sure where that is.


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## Gill (31 Mar 2020)

BarryH said:


> That's a new one on me Pardeep. Not sure where that is.


blagreaves lane


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## BarryH (1 Apr 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, I'd imagine that should be fine for Cherry Shrimps, they are pretty resilient. Another option is a <"Cuttle "bone"> they sell these for Budgies etc. and they work pretty well.
> 
> If you put a little bit in the snails and shrimps will pick at it, and if the water gets below pH7 it will start to go into solution.
> 
> cheers Darrel


I've got my cuttlefish bone, problem now is - how do I get it to sink? I put a smallish piece in the tank and it flew to the surface quicker than a submarine on steroids.


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## tiger15 (1 Apr 2020)

All my tanks have dolomite gravel as substrate.  Dolomite is Calcium and Magnesium carbonate,  so I never have to dose GH for my plants.  Dolomite is better for plants than crushed coral because it is less soluble and won't dissolve too fast or over raise pH.  Crushed coral is used by Marine fish folks to buffer pH to 8 and above.


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## dw1305 (1 Apr 2020)

Hi all, 





BarryH said:


> I've got my cuttlefish bone, problem now is - how do I get it to sink? I put a smallish piece in the tank and it flew to the surface quicker than a submarine on steroids.


Try wedging it under something. It should sink after a while.

cheers Darrel


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## BarryH (8 Apr 2020)

As an update on this, I've just been watching a video on YT where "Tums" were added into the tank to provide a good source of calcium carbonate for the shrimp. the "Tums" product no longer seems to be available here in the UK but a search on Google brought up Rennies and other calcium carbonate tablets.

Does anyone add anything like this to their shrimp tanks?


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