my new 20g planted tank - Page 2

chrome91 · 01-07-2009, 01:36 AM

vinegar works fine, no need for strong acid. if theres anything basic in the rock, it will fizz just like baking soda and vinegar. if it fizzes even a bit, best not to use it. vinegar has work for everyone ive known

PEMfish · 01-07-2009, 05:15 PM

Vinegar will detect very basic compounds. But a stronger acid is needed to tell if there are more neutral but still basic vinegar will not react, however it may cause long term problems.

Luukosian · 01-07-2009, 11:20 PM

most vinegar has a ph of 2.4...I would imagine this would show you if things are going to dissolve or not when our aquariums will probably have ph of 6 at the lowest. Not sure though I guess when your talking things that slowly dissolve the vinegar might not be enough but I change 50% of the water in my planted tanks a week anyways so if something was dissolving that slow I dont think it would impact much.

chrome91 · 01-07-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luukosian

most vinegar has a ph of 2.4...I would imagine this would show you if things are going to dissolve or not when our aquariums will probably have ph of 6 at the lowest

exactly!!!

PEMfish · 01-08-2009, 05:10 PM

PH down is a stronger acid. It is not big task to grab some and drip it on a rock- over the vinegar. The experts have My back;

"I just returned from the AGA Convention (Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.). They had a man, Roger Miller, who spoke on rocks for the aquarium. He is a real rockhound who knows his stuff!
Anyway, we had a discussion a while back on whether the vinegar test was a good way to determine if rocks had calcium in them or not. (Acid fizzes when dripped on calcareous rocks.) Roger said that vinegar _usually_ doesn't work. However, he had a dynamite tip for an easily available acid source that you may already have on your shelf-- ph Down! Yes, that product many use to lower pH is strong enough to do the job of testing rocks to see if they fizz."

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 09:18 PM

okay thanks

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 09:20 PM

for driftwood i have boilded it twice and soak it twice. is it now okay to put in my tank?

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 10:23 PM

also my aqua clear came with a bio max thing. should i use this or not?

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 10:30 PM

also when flourite says rinse is optional they really mean rinse or dust there will be a dust storm that won't go away

Luukosian · 01-08-2009, 10:33 PM

I guess ph down is just sulphuric acid so I assume this would be a good test....wouldn't everything fizz with a 10% sulphuric acid test even if it doesn't dissolve in water? lol....

I mean I can dissolve aquarium gravel in sulphuric acid does that mean its bad for my tank? just trying to start a friendly argument with a fellow freshwater guy

as far as the wood, after you boiled it the second time if the water was close to clear then you should be good to go. It will release tanic acid that will make your tank brown(which is good for most tetras and some people actually buy additives to do this) and slightly lower ph.If its stuff you bought from the lfs it should be ready to go. I rinse my flourite in a white pillow case and you'd be surprised how much brown stuff comes out.

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 10:40 PM

oh i know. the brown stuff is in my tank. i am taking out water tomorrw and rinseing flourite then putting new water back in. so boil driftwood until water is mostly clear? cause its still pretty brown right now

yungreefer2410 · 01-08-2009, 10:41 PM

but i am going to have tetras

Luukosian · 01-08-2009, 11:58 PM

You can leave it if you like the look of it and your ph is stable. It gives that south american river basin look(where a lot of tetras are from), some people do it to encourage breeding as well. I would'nt bother pulling it out and boiling it again unless you have the time, some carbon in the filter will get rid of most of it. Over time all of the tannins will leach out and it wont make your water brown anymore anyways.

My lfs used to have a really neat blackwater tank that used peat to get the "blackwater" look, it was really nice with a bunch of driftwood.

yungreefer2410 · 01-09-2009, 12:33 AM

okay thanks. i am going to get the water out and rinse the flouite though. way to cloudy with dust. i stick the wood in there then. any idea on the bio-max? there like little white cubes in a mesh bag?

Luukosian · 01-09-2009, 03:33 PM

It won't hurt anything to add them, sounds like they are just the ceramic bio-media. Just another place for bacteria to grow so no problem with adding it. Might reduce the flow of the filter once it gets all filled with bacteria and plant mulm so just make sure you rinse it in tank water every now and again.

01-07-2009, 01:36 AM	#16 (permalink)
chrome91 Achilles Tang Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: edmonton, alberta, canada Posts: 821 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: my new 20g planted tank vinegar works fine, no need for strong acid. if theres anything basic in the rock, it will fizz just like baking soda and vinegar. if it fizzes even a bit, best not to use it. vinegar has work for everyone ive known __________________ 650- SA tank 125g- reef, 150lbs LR, 250w MH/2x65w PC, 150w MH, 15g sump 90g- SA tank 10g cube- 3 firebelly toads

01-07-2009, 05:15 PM	#17 (permalink)
PEMfish Manta Ray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 3,048 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: my new 20g planted tank Vinegar will detect very basic compounds. But a stronger acid is needed to tell if there are more neutral but still basic vinegar will not react, however it may cause long term problems. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef chronicle; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...chronicle.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-07-2009, 11:20 PM	#18 (permalink)
Luukosian Plate Coral Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 735 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: my new 20g planted tank most vinegar has a ph of 2.4...I would imagine this would show you if things are going to dissolve or not when our aquariums will probably have ph of 6 at the lowest. Not sure though I guess when your talking things that slowly dissolve the vinegar might not be enough but I change 50% of the water in my planted tanks a week anyways so if something was dissolving that slow I dont think it would impact much.

01-08-2009, 05:10 PM	#20 (permalink)
PEMfish Manta Ray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 3,048 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: my new 20g planted tank PH down is a stronger acid. It is not big task to grab some and drip it on a rock- over the vinegar. The experts have My back; "I just returned from the AGA Convention (Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.). They had a man, Roger Miller, who spoke on rocks for the aquarium. He is a real rockhound who knows his stuff! Anyway, we had a discussion a while back on whether the vinegar test was a good way to determine if rocks had calcium in them or not. (Acid fizzes when dripped on calcareous rocks.) Roger said that vinegar _usually_ doesn't work. However, he had a dynamite tip for an easily available acid source that you may already have on your shelf-- ph Down! Yes, that product many use to lower pH is strong enough to do the job of testing rocks to see if they fizz." __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef chronicle; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...chronicle.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

01-08-2009, 10:33 PM	#25 (permalink)
Luukosian Plate Coral Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 735 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: my new 20g planted tank I guess ph down is just sulphuric acid so I assume this would be a good test....wouldn't everything fizz with a 10% sulphuric acid test even if it doesn't dissolve in water? lol.... I mean I can dissolve aquarium gravel in sulphuric acid does that mean its bad for my tank? just trying to start a friendly argument with a fellow freshwater guy as far as the wood, after you boiled it the second time if the water was close to clear then you should be good to go. It will release tanic acid that will make your tank brown(which is good for most tetras and some people actually buy additives to do this) and slightly lower ph.If its stuff you bought from the lfs it should be ready to go. I rinse my flourite in a white pillow case and you'd be surprised how much brown stuff comes out.

01-08-2009, 11:58 PM	#28 (permalink)
Luukosian Plate Coral Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 735 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: my new 20g planted tank You can leave it if you like the look of it and your ph is stable. It gives that south american river basin look(where a lot of tetras are from), some people do it to encourage breeding as well. I would'nt bother pulling it out and boiling it again unless you have the time, some carbon in the filter will get rid of most of it. Over time all of the tannins will leach out and it wont make your water brown anymore anyways. My lfs used to have a really neat blackwater tank that used peat to get the "blackwater" look, it was really nice with a bunch of driftwood.

01-09-2009, 03:33 PM	#30 (permalink)
Luukosian Plate Coral Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burlington, IA Posts: 735 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: my new 20g planted tank It won't hurt anything to add them, sounds like they are just the ceramic bio-media. Just another place for bacteria to grow so no problem with adding it. Might reduce the flow of the filter once it gets all filled with bacteria and plant mulm so just make sure you rinse it in tank water every now and again.

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