How will adding cuttlebone affect my hardness and ph?

If I add small pieces of cuttlebone or another source of calcium to my tank for snails to eat, how will it affect my hardness and pH? I don't want to hurt my fish. I have a 55g.

kh - 5
gh- 7
ph - 7.8

 

Cuttle bone is calcium carbonate. The way it works is that it is a natural pH regulator. If your pH falls below 7.8 it will begin to dissolve and bring the pH back to 7.8. As it dissolves it will increase the KH and GH proportionally. Above 7.8 pH it will not dissolve and will have no effect.

Your tank is already fine for snails. The bone will just keep it that way and have no effect on your water parameters.

I recommend that you do not use the bone however. Instead use another source of calcium carbonate. You can use egg shells or crushed coral, oyster shell or a piece of limestone rock, or powdered calcium carbonate from any drugstore or online.

No need to harvest a cuttle fish just to get some calcium carbonate!

 

Oh, my gosh! I had no clue it was a fish, or are you joking?!?! So my tank is fine for snails? I have been so worried that snails wouldn't thrive in my softer water. I just want them to be healthy! Thanks for the help, and info. I'm glad to know adding something won't hurt anyone. So if I stay at 7.8, the kh and gh won't go up, it will just supply the snails more calcium if they directly eat it?

 

No joke. They kill an intelligent animal to harvest the cuttle bone.

Just toss in some egg shell instead! The snails can eat it and it will also regulate your water.

 

No joke. They kill an intelligent animal to harvest the cuttle bone.

Just toss in some egg shell instead! The snails can eat it and it will also regulate your water.

Wow, interesting. Thank you! I'm so excited to know my water will work, and I can get them calcium in an easy and effective way. Also, if you don't mind, I just want to make sure I understand. Since my ph is 7.8, the gh, kh, and pH won't chnage with the addition of the egg shells. It will just simply provide more calcium to eat? Is that correct?

 

Yes that's right

Nature is in balance.

 

Yes that's right

Nature is in balance.

Thank you. I really appreciate it.