joe

Hey, just wondering if driftwood caused the ph to go down. Cause i got a couple pieces with plants growing on them. After i got it i read that it did make it go down. Thanks
Joe

Jason

Yeah it would of. How much did it go down?

joe

it hasnt yet since i just got it like 5 days ago for my new tank. Sorry when i asked i meant causes instead of caused. my bad. thanks j-man. I read that African Cichlids like high ph Right? so how do i make it higher besides chemicals. If i have to i will use them tho. thanks again.

Joe

Jason

I think there are some rocks which have calcium or something correct me if I'm wrong Butterfly and Gunnie. That will higher the pH level but otherwise as lng as its not too acidic and its around neutral you should be ok as long as its steady

Almost forget I think its because the driftwood releases tannins into the water similar to peat which lowers to pH level

Isabella

Joe, I put 2 large pieces of driftwood inside my 30 gallon tank a few months ago. That is, the pieces are large as compared to the size of my tank. And they did not cause my pH to go down. The pH is the same as it was in my tank without driftwood. But, generally speaking, driftwoods do lower pH. What I think is that when a driftwood is specially prepared for aquaria - meaning, if it is bought thoroughly dried and disinfected specially for a tropical tank, then - if it is boiled, soaked, and rinsed well and a lot - it won't really lower the pH. Or at least exactly this happened in my case. I do not know how pieces of wood other than those specially prepared for tropical tanks would react with water. That is why it is always safest to buy driftwood that was made exactly for the purpose you want to use it.

joe

thanks for the good advice J-Man and isabella.* *

dano569

holey rock will make your ph higher.

joe

Thanks dano , I also heard cushed coral as a substrate would make it higher also. is that right?

dano569

i've never used it so i can't say for sure.i've heard it does though.