Sterilizing oyster shells

[troy]

Sterilization by heat causes ca(oh)2 with water?

 

[Ray]

Not enough to be concerned about, whether that be baking or boiling. That, by the way, is why I think that relying on crushed oyster shell is not as good as having dissolved calcium in the irrigation water.

 

[gonewild]

There really is no reason to sterilize the oyster shells.
It's not likely the chemicals and pH of the shells provide an environment that allows disease pathogens to survive for any length of time on them during their storage logistics.

 

[troy]

It's where I got them from that does that, I know calcium oxide is caustic, never thought heating oyster shells would create that....

 

[NYEric]

Just wash with a little physan.

 

[PaphMadMan]

Very little calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide would be produced that way, most would be removed with the water, and any left would convert to calcium carbonate pretty quickly in air.

 

[gonewild]

Very little calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide would be produced that way, most would be removed with the water, and any left would convert to calcium carbonate pretty quickly in air.

And at the temperature and duration needed to heat sterilize the shells there would probably be zero hydroxide formed. You only need about 160f for 30 minutes.

 

[troy]

Thanks!!!