scubapro67 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I've had this hanging around the house for a while, and thought I'd see if there's some suggestions for getting the limestone/ coral and barnacle growth off this rather large Ecphora (about 5 inches). Read about water with vinegar or bleach, but that sounds way too harsh. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 @scubapro67 Much to complicated to explain. You should just send it to me so you wont have to worry about it ever again. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Whatever you do do not use vinegar!!! Bleach sounds real nasty too. If it will hold up to it, soak it in water for some hours, rince off, change water and let soak again. This will get rid of the salt. then you can coat it with a stablelizer. thats if it will hold up to all that soaking? These things are usually a bit fragile and maybe fall apart? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 As long as the shell is stable in water, bleach should be ok. I have used 1/2 bleach 1/2 water for aragonitic fossil shells to remove algae staining and on recent shells to remove encrusters. I have not tried it on calcitic shells such as Ecphora. The encrusting coral Septastrea marylandica might be difficult to remove even with bleach. Mike 1 "A problem solved is a problem caused"--Karl Pilkington "I was dead for millions of years before I was born and it never inconvenienced me a bit." -- Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Acids can destroy Ecphora. Bleach should be fine, but I have not tried it. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 maybe hydrogen peroxide and a tooth brush, or dish detergent, warm water and brush "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilnut Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I think with the coral it is a beautiful collection piece and could be appreciated as it is. My $0.02! Is the aperature covered with coral? I have found smaller gastropods used by hermit crabs that are covered with coral or bryozoan which expands the aperature enabling the hermit crab to live its life in the one shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubapro67 Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 Thanks all - trying a soak in the dilute bleach. Have a couple more if that goes south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubapro67 Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 On 1/23/2019 at 10:07 AM, SailingAlongToo said: @scubapro67 Much to complicated to explain. You should just send it to me so you wont have to worry about it ever again. @SailingAlongToo Happy to share extras if the technique works. PM me if super secret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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