# Oyster Shells for ph buffer



## bombbudpuffa (May 25, 2007)

Calcium carbonate is what is in lime that buffers ph. Lime is about 75% cal carb and oyster shells are about 99% and slow releasing. Here's a few aticles I found on it.





> The most important of the calcium compounds is calcium carbonate, CaCO3, the major constituent of limestones, marbles, chalks, *oyster shells*, and corals. Calcium carbonate obtained from its natural sources is used as a filler in a variety of products, such as ceramics and glass, and as a starting material for the production of calcium oxide. Synthetic calcium carbonate, called precipitated calcium carbonate, is employed when high purity is required, as in medicine (antacid and dietary calcium supplement), in food (baking powder), and for laboratory purposes.





> *Calcium Carbonate *is a common compoundotherwise known as limestone. This compound has many uses in medicine, industry, and agriculture.
> 
> The chemical formula for *Calcium Carbonate *is CaCO3, the compound consists of Calcium and Carbon Oxide - making it very reactive to water. This compound is found in many forms, the most common ones being: *Chalk, Marble, Calcite, Aragonite, *and *Limestone, *as *Calcium Carbonate* is not terribly reactive with most other materials, it is fairly easy to extract, making massive savings for a mining company.
> 
> *Calcium Carbonate* Is an Alkali which gives it a place in *Agriculture* for neutralising soil which is too acidic to harbour crops. The compound can be ground to powder and used like any fertiliser, effectively conditioning the soil.





> *How do they grow their shells?* _*Oyster shells are made of calcium carbonate (lime)*_. The oysters must get this lime from the water they live in. They also have a sort of skin, called a mantle, which puts this calcium carbonate on the outside of their bodies to form a protective shell. Oysters must live in water that is temperate (warm all year) and not too cloudy. They grow only in areas where salt and fresh water mix together, like salt marshes. Oysters are born as free-swimming plankton (tiny microscopic organisms). When they grow up, they find a place (on mud, coral, debris, or other oyster shells) to attach and grow. Once they grow their shells, they cant move around anymore. When the tide is high, oysters are covered by water, but when the tide goes out, they are left sticking up into the dry air. Their shells close tightly together so the animal inside will not dehydrate (dry out) before the tide comes back in.


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> Agriculture : *Oyster Shell is natural organic source of very high quality calcium carbonate*. For more than a century this unique resource has been utilized to supply calcium for agricultural application.Oyster Shell is produced by a living organism.Calcium formed in this non crystalline state is one easily dissolved and utilized by soil and plant. Other important organically product nutrients and micro nutrients are also found in it.


Heres a link to a usda pdf on calcium carbonate and it's uses in agriculture-http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/NationalList/TAPReviews/caloxtap.pdf


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## bombbudpuffa (May 25, 2007)

Liming Materials PDF-http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/NationalList/TAPReviews/caloxtap.pdf


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## bombbudpuffa (May 25, 2007)

> Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)  Calcium carbonate is found in nature in many forms. It is most commonly found as limestone, marble, chalk, or marl, which forms the bedrock that underlies many parts of the world. Many marine and land animals form their bones and shells from calcium carbonate. *Organic forms of calcium carbonate are commercially available as ground oyster shell* or bone meal.


Another small find.


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## Mr.Wakenbake (May 27, 2007)

awesome man... so it is the calcium carbonate that is the buffer... you learn something new everyday.


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## nvthis (Mar 19, 2010)

bump


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