MoSinister
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I was at the lfs the other day and asked about driftwood. The salesman said he wouldn't put driftwood in a 15g. I was hesitant to question him much about it since he's the expert and I'm just starting out. But I do have questions.
I already know driftwood will lower the ph of tank water. I know it can leach tannins into the water. But can it change a small tank's parameters that fast? My tap water runs on the alkaline side (around 8.5 ph), so I would have thought a piece would help as well as being decorative.
It seems like every tank I see on the Web has driftwood (even the small ones). Are they doing something wrong, or am I being lead too cautiously?
My plans are to take the tank from a classic starter tank (plastic plants and "petco" gravel) to a more natural, lightly planted tank (laterite/flourite and sand substrate, and low-light plants).
Advice would be appreciated.
I already know driftwood will lower the ph of tank water. I know it can leach tannins into the water. But can it change a small tank's parameters that fast? My tap water runs on the alkaline side (around 8.5 ph), so I would have thought a piece would help as well as being decorative.
It seems like every tank I see on the Web has driftwood (even the small ones). Are they doing something wrong, or am I being lead too cautiously?
My plans are to take the tank from a classic starter tank (plastic plants and "petco" gravel) to a more natural, lightly planted tank (laterite/flourite and sand substrate, and low-light plants).
Advice would be appreciated.