Plaster of paris for my reef!

[Luis]

Gypsum or plaster of paris is Calcium sulfate ...is cheap and almost ready to use then I took some a month ago I made a small rock I let it dry and then place it inside my aquarium, nothing happened but my alkalinity levels and calcium levels got better, the rock disolves very slow in about 10 days it was gone, I made another rock ...same story, then another (today), and I was thinking let´s ask the guys in the forum to see what they think... My corals look better and grow faster so .... but what could happen in the long term?

Don´t preach... somebody started adding vodka long time ago and we learn something...

By the way the rocks look, feel and taste :lol: the same as those expensive white and small cubic blocks we get in the fish store to replace elements

 

[blackcloudmedia]

I actually tried this a while back. You have to be sure not to add too much plaster of paris to the tank as there doesnt seem to be a critical point where it stops dissolving. e.g. it will dissolve constantly. As for the chemistry its not the same form of calcium as is usually added to reefs but Im sure a biologist could chime in here.

 

[Sea Turtle]

doesn't it eventually create a white powdery buildup on everything over time?

 

[Anonymous]

Calcium is calcium, but the sulfate will give you problem down the road if you donit do aggressive water change. Some bacteria loves sulfate, but they turn things black and only when the cousin of sulfur (oxygen for those of you who forget their high school chemistry) is not availabe.

I think your guess is correct about the blocks in pet store.