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How much oyster shell is enough for a 30 gallon sugar shine ferment to serve as a proper ph aid

I'm interested in this answer as well. Also, They should be reusable, right?

I'm just thinking you'd have to use a bunch on a ferment that size

This is how i see it....if you put too little in, then, when it becomes acidic,there may not be enough of the stabiliser (oyster) in to help the mash neutralise....If you put extra in, the the mash can take what is needed to level itself out, it won't take more than it needs, it can't can it..? i imagine it will always keep itself slightly acidic...so it will always be taking oyster shell slowly.....

I'd use two cotton socks and put at least a pint of shell in each.
I use strings tied to the socks to keep then suspended several inches off the bottom of the fermenter.

I use about a cup and I've never had an issue with ph on a ferment that size. sometimes I put it in a sock or bag, sometimes I just dump some in loose

This is my experience only:
14 gallon sugar washes.
The "sacks" held my siporax column packing when new.
It hangs from a cup hook screwed into the fermenter lid.
The "sack" of the left has 2 pounds heat treated crushed oyster shell.
The "sack" on the right has been through four 14G washes.
I rinse the "sack" after day 2 until the water runs clear, then just hang to dry or put right into the next wash.

Thanks for the input guys

Interested! How do you initially treat the oyster shells prior to using it?

Rrmuf wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:21 am Interested! How do you initially treat the oyster shells prior to using it?

I boil them for a bit, then rinse under running water until the water runs clear, then they go in a mesh bag and get suspended in the wash about half way up. I use the same amount regardles of the size of the wash. About 1.5 to 2 cups in a bag. I dont use them on a AG mash, just sugar washes.

Deplorable wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 10:56 am

Rrmuf wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:21 am Interested! How do you initially treat the oyster shells prior to using it?

I boil them for a bit, then rinse under running water until the water runs clear, then they go in a mesh bag and get suspended in the wash about half way up. I use the same amount regardles of the size of the wash. About 1.5 to 2 cups in a bag. I dont use them on a AG mash, just sugar washes.

Thanks! I guess I need to go eat some oysters! My wife won't mind that.

I buy mine from Amazon 5 lb. Bags pre crushed

Durhommer wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:05 pm I buy mine from Amazon 5 lb. Bags pre crushed

I buy mine with the oyster still in it

Stay safe
OVZ

I can get this from the local feed store for less than a tenner for 25kgs. From what I manage to find searching the interweb it doesn't contain and sand, but the word grit does concern me. I guess chickens eat anything.

**********
25 KG OYTA OYSTER SHELL GRIT FOR HENS
4-7mm grit
Oystershell is an excellent source of calcium which is soluble and is digested by the bird, enabling it to form strong egg-shells.
A constant supply of Oystershell prevents the bird producing soft or poor quality egg shells. It's slow solubility provides a steady calcium level, resulting in less bone breakage, improved feed conversion and healthier birds.
********

Will these be ok for pH control.

Cheers
SomethingObscure

I use the crushed oyster shell as-is straight out of the bag.
Figure the fines and powder get used up at first, while the yeast is going crazy.
Then the bigger chunks hold the pH constant while the yeast finishes.

Just guessing
Folks that are doing low temp, slow sugar wash fermentations, need less of and coarser ground shell.
If you want to ferment warm and in 4 days, use more and a finer grind of shell.

On a side note.
Crushed shell is good for keeping the pH from crashing
But it's useless raise the pH after the yeast has stalled

Shell grit works just fine.

Oldvine Zin wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 1:59 pm

Durhommer wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:05 pm I buy mine from Amazon 5 lb. Bags pre crushed

I buy mine with the oyster still in it

Stay safe
OVZ

+1. Now I know to keep the outsides

How long does oyster shell last? Does it just disintegrate away, or does it just go inert after awhile?

It doesn't go inert, it just keeps raising pH until it is used up, or you take it out. If you have used too much and you don't remove it after the ferment is finished, it can wreck your wash.

I weigh the shells wet, so that I can weigh them wet at the end to find out approximately how much was used up, then record it for next time I do that product.

So the people that say the ferment only uses what it needs are wrong? What you say makes sense, take out the bag once the pH is where you need it. Thanks.

shadylane wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 7:38 am I'd use two cotton socks and put at least a pint of shell in each.
I use strings tied to the socks to keep then suspended several inches off the bottom of the fermenter.

Bless your cotton socks.

Geoff

wpkluck wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:34 pm Take out the bag once the pH is where you need it.

If the bag is left in a long time after the fermentation is complete.
The wash pH may get above 7, distilling the wash can cause blue moonshine that's unfit to drink.

wpkluck wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:34 pm So the people that say the ferment only uses what it needs are wrong?

They haven't done their homework.

NZChris wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 12:00 am

wpkluck wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:34 pm So the people that say the ferment only uses what it needs are wrong?

They haven't done their homework.

Right or wrong, shell grit helps to avoid a pH crash.
And Ya don't even have to do any homework

To satisfy my curiosity Shady ..what is your definition of "a long time" hours , days or weeks.
My gut feeling is that its probably more forgiving that some folk say.

It depends on how much excess shell has been used and how fine it is crushed. You are only likely to get into trouble if you’ve used far too much, then you don’t, or can’t, remove them when the ferment goes dead. Getting called away for a job or a family emergency will do it.

I use whole, large, shells because they are much more forgiving.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:29 am To satisfy my curiosity Shady ..what is your definition of "a long time" hours , days or weeks.
My gut feeling is that its probably more forgiving that some folk say.

I can't honestly say how long it takes for shell grit to raise the pH above 7.
One time I left the shells in a Sugar Shine for 2 weeks after it was done.
The wash had a pH of around 6 and was very slowly rising
A pH of 6 wouldn't cause any distilling problems, but bacteria invading the wash might be a problem

Crushed, or whole, and how long. The age old questions!! How about this? Boil them (crushed or whole) in a 1/2 gallon of water, I don't know, say for 30 minutes. After cooling, you can incrementally add the water, checking the pH as you do. This should tell you what you need to know. I'm going to try it.

wpkluck wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 12:30 pm Crushed, or whole, and how long. The age old questions!! How about this? Boil them (crushed or whole) in a 1/2 gallon of water, I don't know, say for 30 minutes. After cooling, you can incrementally add the water, checking the pH as you do. This should tell you what you need to know. I'm going to try it.

Oysters live in water. What makes you think their shells are soluble in water?

I used 2 fairly large shells.That are about two-thirds the size of my hand. I drill a hole in them and hang them from a copper wire into the wash. I just wash off the crud that builds up on them and use them in the next wash. Works perfect . One time I guess the acidity got pretty high It looked like somebody took a shotgun to My shells they were full of holes.
It's a great pH buffer

I buy the oysters fresh Obviously eat the inside. then I washed them off, toss them in the oven at about 350 degrees for about half an hour To make sure all the Unwanted critters are dead