Driftwood and Cichlids!

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R

rugbyflanker

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 23, 2012
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Canada
I was at my local petstore today and the lady there told me driftwood was not a good idea in my cichlid tank as it would lower my pH and cichlids require a high pHof around 8.. this was news to me and i will be checking my pH on friday when the strips come in! my fish have always seemed fine :o what are symptoms of low pH?
 
I have had driftwood in ALL my tanks. Never had a problem. Right now I have a 500 gallon with around 60 africans in it. I have 5 big pieces of wood and the ph was just fine last week when I checked. I do have about 80 lbs of "Cichlid sand",which is supposed to help keep ph at the right levels. I really don't think the wood will give you any trouble.
 
been keeping cichlids in tanks with driftwood for over 10 years, never an issue. I will grant that I've mostly kep south/central american so I can't speak too much to african.
 
rugbyflanker said:
I was at my local petstore today and the lady there told me driftwood was not a good idea in my cichlid tank as it would lower my pH and cichlids require a high pHof around 8.. this was news to me and i will be checking my pH on friday when the strips come in! my fish have always seemed fine :o what are symptoms of low pH?
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A fish will adjust to any respectable ph 6-8 easily, stability is key as a fluctuating ph will reek havok on ur fish causing massive stress and death. Some rocks will even counteract it, w/e u add do it once and it'll be fine, so did she suggest a substitute? Ie fake plastic crap?

In nature cichlids are around dw and mocking conditions of nature are imo 75% of fw fk other 25% is maintenence

#1 S. Vettel
 
Gary_Gilbert said:
I have had driftwood in ALL my tanks. Never had a problem. Right now I have a 500 gallon with around 60 africans in it. I have 5 big pieces of wood and the ph was just fine last week when I checked. I do have about 80 lbs of "Cichlid sand",which is supposed to help keep ph at the right levels. I really don't think the wood will give you any trouble.
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I just have a small 40g no room i want a big tank soooo bad! still living at home tho one more year til freedom! anys i dont have cichlid sand but ill give the wood a shot if it causes problems its an easy fix to take it out
Thanks!
 
F1 VET said:
A fish will adjust to any respectable ph 6-8 easily, stability is key as a fluctuating ph will reek havok on ur fish causing massive stress and death. Some rocks will even counteract it, w/e u add do it once and it'll be fine, so did she suggest a substitute? Ie fake plastic crap?

In nature cichlids are around dw and mocking conditions of nature are imo 75% of fw fk other 25% is maintenence

#1 S. Vettel
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I wouldnt take the plastic crap it looks terrible! ive only ever bought a castle that suits my tank and doesnt look like garbage! She told me to look it up! so i came to see what you guys said! I can always by a chunk of dead coral or something and use some "pH up" if neccesary
 
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