Drift wood and pH - Aquarium Advice

Big C · 04-20-2005, 03:38 PM

Is it true that drift wood will reduce the pH of the tank?

**Fishyfanatic** · 04-20-2005, 05:03 PM

Yes, it will.

Big C · 04-20-2005, 05:45 PM

The pH in my tank is 7.2, if I add a piece of drift wood, how is the pH drop going to affect my fish and my plants?

Does all wood have the same effect in the pH? Should I look for a particular kind?

Thanks.

fisch · 04-20-2005, 06:18 PM

If you are concerned about a large pH shift you can always test how the wood changes the pH in a bucket of water after a few days. Larger pieces will obviously have more of and effect. The buffering of your water ([acronym:065f053e1e="Carbonate Hardness"]KH[/acronym:065f053e1e]) plays into it as well. As long as the pH drop is gradual the plants and fish should adjust fine.

mattrox · 04-20-2005, 08:47 PM

If you do regular water [acronym:4bb6922285="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:4bb6922285]'s any pH change should be tiny anyway.

BASSNMAN · 04-21-2005, 12:19 AM

When I added wood to my 50 the PH dropped .3 but I found out I have a low KH so it might change the PH more.

04-20-2005, 03:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Big C Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 375 Images: 3	Drift wood and pH Is it true that drift wood will reduce the pH of the tank? __________________ Gracias amigos! 5 g w/ Minows 30 g planted: 3 aurulious barbs, 4 tiger barbs (2 green), 2 Gold barbs, 1 lemon fin barb 75 g planted:1 dwarf gouramis, 4 guppies, 1 sword tail, 1 SAE, 1 gold gourami, 4 black phantom tetras, 3 serpae tetras, 6 brilliant rasboras, 2 diamond tetras, 10 rummynose, 1 blush koi angel (huge!), 3 clown loaches, 3 yo yo loaches, 1 golden nugget, 2 GBR 10 gal QT tank -almost always going with new "projects"

04-20-2005, 05:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,004 Images: 15	Yes, it will. __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community Planted 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

04-20-2005, 05:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Big C Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 375 Images: 3	The pH in my tank is 7.2, if I add a piece of drift wood, how is the pH drop going to affect my fish and my plants? Does all wood have the same effect in the pH? Should I look for a particular kind? Thanks. __________________ Gracias amigos! 5 g w/ Minows 30 g planted: 3 aurulious barbs, 4 tiger barbs (2 green), 2 Gold barbs, 1 lemon fin barb 75 g planted:1 dwarf gouramis, 4 guppies, 1 sword tail, 1 SAE, 1 gold gourami, 4 black phantom tetras, 3 serpae tetras, 6 brilliant rasboras, 2 diamond tetras, 10 rummynose, 1 blush koi angel (huge!), 3 clown loaches, 3 yo yo loaches, 1 golden nugget, 2 GBR 10 gal QT tank -almost always going with new "projects"

04-20-2005, 06:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
fisch Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Davis, CA Posts: 38	If you are concerned about a large pH shift you can always test how the wood changes the pH in a bucket of water after a few days. Larger pieces will obviously have more of and effect. The buffering of your water ([acronym:065f053e1e="Carbonate Hardness"]KH[/acronym:065f053e1e]) plays into it as well. As long as the pH drop is gradual the plants and fish should adjust fine. __________________ 30 [acronym:ddb515a691="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ddb515a691] - 11 cardinals, 8 black neons, ~15 pygmy cories, 2 otos 6 [acronym:ddb515a691="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ddb515a691] - clown pleco 10 [acronym:ddb515a691="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ddb515a691] - 11 platies 5.5 [acronym:ddb515a691="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:ddb515a691] - male betta

04-21-2005, 12:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
BASSNMAN Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Corona Ca. Posts: 515	When I added wood to my 50 the PH dropped .3 but I found out I have a low KH so it might change the PH more. __________________ Doran Hayes

04-20-2005, 08:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
mattrox Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 1,327 Images: 36	If you do regular water [acronym:4bb6922285="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:4bb6922285]'s any pH change should be tiny anyway.

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