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Mushrooms, Mycology and Psychedelics > Mushroom Cultivation
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crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate
    #6151301 -

Is there a difference between crushed oyster shell and calcium carbonate? Is either better as a ph buffer?

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: 0003]
    #6151314 -

they are one in the same, it's all just about texture, the crushed oyster makes a nice casing texture, and gives you a long term buffer, as compared to the powdery stuff, wich will dissolve a lot faster, and act as slightly less of a buffer, but faster acting.


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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: Eraserhead]
    #6151412 -

They are not the same FYI! Calcium carbonate is superior to oyster shell flour for the main reason of solubility.

edited to say: Chalk or limestone flour is superior to oyster shell flour as it's all calcium carbonate.


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Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy.
Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal :wink:
Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is
Gas Exchange vs. FAE

"We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"

Edited by hyphae (10/09/06 09:18 PM)

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: hyphae]
    #6151418 -

Really? I thought oyster shell was calcium carbonate by composition... Wow, I feel humbled, my bad.


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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: Eraserhead]
    #6151432 -

It is but there is a subtle difference which should be noted.


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Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy.
Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal :wink:
Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is
Gas Exchange vs. FAE

"We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: hyphae]
    #6151441 -

Ok, that makes sence with my saying the powdery stuff is more readily available then, ok, I feel a little better now :smile:


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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: Eraserhead]
    #6151482 -

Yep you got it right but remember as much as it (calcium carbonate) does provide good structural characteristics the peat is the main structural provider the calcium is mainly a buffer as it should be.


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Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy.
Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal :wink:
Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is
Gas Exchange vs. FAE

"We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: hyphae]
    #6151502 -

What is the difference between oyster shell flour and calcium carbonate? That is what I meant to ask.

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: 0003]
    #6151505 -

Here's oyster shell (chunky and crushed)



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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: Eraserhead]
    #6151513 -

Are they chemically the same? Is the consistency the same? Which is more soluble

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: 0003]
    #6151525 -

read hyphaes post, calcium carbonate is more of a powder, and more readily soluable, oyester takes a long time to break down, and helps some with the consistancy of the casing layer.

I use a little more crushed, with soem that I grind to a powder in my cofee grinder in my casing mix, it's doing me good sofar, but I'm still a NOOB


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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: 0003]
    #6151533 -

Well I should have stated things better, there are many forms of calcium carbonate oyster shell flour is calcium carbonate as is chalk or limestone flour or powderized egg shell it's effectiveness is determined directly by it's availability. Gypsum is another form of calcium carbonate with sulfur added (sulfides) so you don't want to use much and definitely not as the main buffer but it is a fine amendment to any casing mix as well as added to grains and compost or poo. Crushed oyster shell is for the most part worthless as a buffer you need oyster shell "flour" to get it's buffering benefits, crushed does provide a little more aeration though. Limestone flour and chalk are the best choices oyster shell flour as well as powderized egg shell are not quite as readily available but all will work just fine.


--------------------
Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy.
Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal :wink:
Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is
Gas Exchange vs. FAE

"We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"

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Re: crushed oyster shell or calcium carbonate [Re: hyphae]
    #6152007 -

Gypsum actually lowers ph a bit, but the advantage of combining calcium and sulphur in fairly high quantities such as five to ten percent is that wherever you set the ph, it tends to stay there and not swing so much as the mycelium colonizes, which because of the metabolytes produced, lowers ph during colonization. A side benefit to gypsum is that calcium and sulphur are both nutrients used in mycelial metabolism.

As we know, mushroom mycelium grows fastest and is perhaps the happiest with a ph of around 6. Unfortunately, that is also the ph favored by most other fungi, which includes the mold fungi that are the enemy. We use lime because mushroom mycelium can tolerate a higher ph than the green molds can.

For the reason stated above, I prefer hydrated lime over calcium carbonate to adjust the casing mix because the most critical time to protect your casing layer is right after you put it on and are waiting for it to colonize. The hydrated lime, being water soluable goes to work right away to protect during that critical time. Once the casing layer is colonized, the mushroom mycelium does an amazing job of holding its own against contaminants, and the gypsum then provides the long term stabilizer, preventing the ph from going too low.
RR


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Mushrooms, Mycology and Psychedelics > Mushroom Cultivation
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