Diy background with caves

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Very nice. Can't wait to see some pics after its cycled with the gravel and fish in it. Top notch work! (btw, I think I'm going to shamelessly steal your idea and make a background this way as well)
 
Ya, i think it is genius as you dont have to wait almost a year so the ph isnt swung every way and direction.
 
i filled the tank up with tap water which is 8.4ph in my town and after being in the tank 2 days the ph was 7.8 i have started cycling and am going to run it for a couple of weeks before i put my midas in. i figure he will be good togo by then, i will be using his filters off the tank hes in now and part of the substrate. ill just keep an eye on his water
 
well after building my background my ph keeps rising i filled it up let it run several days, drained it 3 times before i filled it and started cycling itused all the substrate from old tank, filters, let that run for over two weeks checked it 0 amonia, nits ph was 8 which the tap water where i live is high normally before i moved my midas into it, he wouldnt eat and was acting odd the first day, i thought maybe in shock figured he would come around day two still acting odd ph was higher tha day before did partial w/c ended up removing him on day 4 he had lost almost all color was swiming but looked completely lost checked the parmiters my ph was as high as my test went like 8.8 i put him back in his old tank and the next morning his eyes were clouded over i didnt think he was going to make it but started treating with melafix and after alil over a week the clouding is almost completely gone in one eye and the other on is getting clearer everday, he has his color back and is eating fine . now back to the tank w background i have drained it 2 more times and the ph starts off normal and over night it is 8.8 or more i have put some feeders in it and they seem to be just fine for the last 6 days eating and everything but im scared to put any fish i care about. (copied from my post last week)

still have it running the convict feeders i threw in there are still doing great all the water test o amonia, nitrites, kh 306 ppm but the ph is still around 8.8 or so i am just going to let it run and hopefully it will stabilize or something i really want to get my midas in it soon
 
just wondering - have you confirmed with a new / different PH test kit? What components went into your background that could raise the PH?
 
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