Watch What These 20 Oysters Do To This Tank

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Oyster Recovery Partnership in Maryland is trying to spread the word about the natural filtration powers of oysters.

The organization posted a time lapse video Tuesday that shows how oysters can clean water.

"The magic of oysters is the magic of filtration," the post says. "Take an oyster, plant it in a viable habitat, and in time it can filter as much as 50 gallons of water a day. Plant thousands of oysters, and you can significantly improve water quality and clarity. Their effectiveness is so impressive, in fact, that many experts consider a thriving population to be vital to the lifeline of the Chesapeake Bay. Both of these tanks were filled with water and algae from the Severn River in Maryland. The tank on the left holds 20 mature oysters. Time lapse was five hours."

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