Snail shells as a place for denitrification?

[philosophile]

I'm really just musing about this.... Denitrification happens deep in live rock or in denitrators because of a lack of oxygen and anaerobic bacteria taking up residence.... Slow moving water can also help with denitrification because it gives time for bacteria to consume oxygen and then allows spaces to be anaerobic.

So if I put a whole bunch of snail shells in a section of a sump, would that create anaerobic zones inside the shells, and act as a place for denitrification?

 

[Subsea]

Somewhat, but not necessarily due to the void in the shell. Denitrification can happen in any place that micro pores allow for anaerobic/faculative bacteria to exist. This can happen in close proximity of nitrification bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria can also exist in biofilms.

I would be concerned about detritus accumulation and hydrogen sulfide bacteria.