Coral calcium

[Tom-DE]

I just bought a 5 lb bag of Pecking Order(TM) Oyster Shell from Lowes. It is for backyard chicken but I am going to use it for my Paphs. The product looks very clean, coarse sand size...According to the label, the ingredients are oyster shell and calcium coral.
Should I worry about the coral calcium? Personally, I think it should be okay for orchids just like the oyster shell... but I thought I should ask and see what other people here may think.

 

[gonewild]

If it is composed of fresh coral sand collected from seabeds rinse it well to be sure to remove all the possible sodium that it may contain.

 

[Tom-DE]

Good idea. Oyster shell also have a lot of salt naturally. I will rinse/soak the whole bag of it, then dry and store it.

 

[gonewild]

If it is composed of fresh coral sand collected from seabeds rinse it well to be sure to remove all the possible sodium that it may conta.

Good idea. Oyster shell also have a lot of salt naturally. I will rinse/soak the whole bag of it, then dry and store it.

A couple rinses would be a good idea if you have the patience.

 

[Tom-DE]

I just washed all of them and got a lot of "dust" out. Now I am soaking it. It is not too bad since I am doing it all at one time.
After sundry them, I just store them in a container. I will top dress the pot with a half tbs to one tbs...A 5 lb bag will last a long time for a small collection of Paphs!

 

[big923cattleya]

The ‘dust’ you got out could have been dried salt.

 

[Tom-DE]

The ‘dust’ you got out could have been dried salt.

Not likely. It is stone dust from processing the oyster shell and calcium coral. I am not saying there is no salt in it...but should not be that much.

 

[gonewild]

Not likely. It is stone dust from processing the oyster shell and calcium coral. I am not saying there is no salt in it...but should not be that much.

Agreed. If it was sodium it would dissolve instantly and not be visible in the water or settle as sediment.

 

[TropiCool]

Personally, I wouldn't want to support mining the seabed for coral or anything else. The seas are damaged enough already....tottering on the brink of ecosystem collapse.

 

[MorandiWine]

Personally, I wouldn't want to support mining the seabed for coral or anything else. The seas are damaged enough already....tottering on the brink of ecosystem collapse.

A vast majority of this material is harvested on land and not from the water.

 

[Morja]

Often it's from ancient seabeds, right? Like almost fossilized?

 

[Tom-DE]

Personally, I wouldn't want to support mining the seabed for coral or anything else. The seas are damaged enough already....tottering on the brink of ecosystem collapse.

The company is in ND, USA. The product is made in USA
Mining seabed for chicken feed and selling it cheap in the open market? That is very unlikely and for sure it will violate environmental laws in The U.S., so breathe easy!

 

[Herbert Reisinger]

Good idea. Oyster shell also have a lot of salt naturally. I will rinse/soak the whole bag of it, then dry and store it.

 

[TropiCool]

A vast majority of this material is harvested on land and not from the water.

Good to know!

 

[TropiCool]

The company is in ND, USA. The product is made in USA
Mining seabed for chicken feed and selling it cheap in the open market? That is very unlikely and for sure it will violate environmental laws in The U.S., so breathe easy!

Thanks. One less thing to worry about