My new aquarium journey!!!

I wonder what your kh is if the dw and leaves did affect your ph. Mines real low ( like none existent ) and it did lower mine but it’s a huge dw chunk . I run crushed coral too in one tank ( a handful and a half ish ) my ph in that tank runs 7.2 the one without is 6.5

 

Well new driftwood can bring down ph and even older pieces can bring down ph. It use to be recomended to bring it down. Also not the IAL I’m thinking the substrate. It’s some sort of planted substrate. But all in all it’s the tap that is low so yes the crushed coral is the way to go .

 

Well new driftwood can bring down ph and even older pieces can bring down pH

thank you bunches. No matter how long we have been in the hobby we can still learn something new. I have to wonder why this isn't recommended more often to those that really would like to lower their pH for whatever reason. Has it been known to make a drastic change? Most of the time crushed coral will help raise and stabilize it but I didn't know how to lower it.

In this case I have to think the tap water is the main problem. Hopefully the crushed coral will help stabilize it.

 

Thank you! I'll definitely look into getting some crushed coral for my filter. My tap kh is 2 but it's 4 in my tank at the moment because of the bicarbonate of soda

 

So my tank ph was back and it was processing ammonia within 24hrs again so I went to the lfs today, after doing a water change.

They didn't have any false julli corys in and only 2 of the tetras, so I didn't get either of those. They did have in the keyhole cichlids though so I got 2 of them which are currently acclimating! They are absolutely tiny at the minute, I'll send some photos once they've settled in!

Help! I went in to check on the fish and to start adding in some water. But I could only see one fish in the bag... I took it out if the tank to have a look and one of them was out of the water, almost stuck to the side of the bag! I tipped the bag carefully so that he was back in the water and luckily he was still alive, I was so relieved! I had no idea that they were the kind of fish to jump?! Is there anything that I can do to stop him doing this again or just watch him till they are added into the tank?

 

He probably just scared himself and got stuck, not much else you can do apart from keep your eye on it until it’s in the tank

 

They have been added into the tank now and are both hanging around together at the back. They keep pecking at bits of algae things. They are staying together in one section at the moment, I'm hoping this means they will get on with each other although it's a bit early to tell.