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Driftwood in cichlids tank

rob3rtphan

Members
So I been having trouble with my Ph staying around 7ish. I have had a driftwood in it for quite some time now. Could this had been the reason? The driftwood has sunk to the bottom since 8 months ago. But with 60 pd of crush coral sand, 20 pd of coral Sand, 20 pds of cichlids sand in the filter, 50 pds of white rocks and 30 pds of holey rocks Ph is still low.

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jonclark96

Past CCA President
Yes, the driftwood will bring the pH down in the tank, but not drastically. What is you pH out of the tap?
 

rob3rtphan

Members
It's 7, but shouldn't my coral, sand and rocks raise the ph

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Shane

Members
It's 7, but shouldn't my coral, sand and rocks raise the ph

They do, but at a far, far slower rate. Driftwood is soft and wears quickly compared to rocks and coral. The main reason for adding driftwood to a tank is to lower the pH and add tannins. If this is not the effect you are after remove the driftwood.
-Shane
 

jonclark96

Past CCA President
They do, but at a far, far slower rate. Driftwood is soft and wears quickly compared to rocks and coral. The main reason for adding driftwood to a tank is to lower the pH and add tannins. If this is not the effect you are after remove the driftwood.
-Shane


+1
 

Scorp1us

Members
My driftwood is only in my tank to support the BN plecos. I was lucky to get some that had been soaking for several years in someone else's tank so all the tannins leached out. I'd recommend the same - get some old, used drift wood.
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
NaHCO3

Baking soda. Tannins don't generally leech so fast that you won't be able to stay on top of it, and it will only get easier as time goes by.
 

Shane

Members
Fair enough, but why add an amphoteric compund to counteract the driftwood? Just remove the driftwood.
-Shane
 

rob3rtphan

Members
It's gone problem solve, but my clown loch sure did love the driftwood

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Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
How's this?

Fair enough, but why add an amphoteric compund to counteract the driftwood? Just remove the driftwood.
-Shane

Aesthetics, diminished aggression/stress from better habitat, potential spawning sites to name three. Not sure what amphoteric has to do with it as unless I'm mistaken baking soda acts as a base in water.
 
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