Driftwood; what does it do?

V

valleyvampiress

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Feb 28, 2005
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I recently purchased a piece of driftwood from a pet store to use as a decoration for my 10g. I know it softens water, but I didn't think this would be much of a problem because my tap water ph is at 8.0 so it wouldn't hurt to add in the driftwood. But now I'm wondering if it would soften it too much. I just have a few mollies, tetra, cat and ghost shrimp (i'm overstocked I know. I already gave some away, but I'm really attached to the ones I have left). From what I've read, they're all pretty hardy. Would it affect them a lot?

Also, I've boiled the peice for over an hour yesterday, and left it soaking in a bucket for a day. I've changed the water today and am planning on keeping it in there atleast another day. What I'm wondering is if the brownish stuff it's releasing will harm my fish. I didn't think it would, but seeing how much stuff it's releasing, now I'm starting to worry. I know it's normal for the water to become brown, but I want to make sure it's safe.

And lastly, will it always release the brownness, or will it eventually settle down and clear up?
 
It will be fine. Relax. I t will stop coloring the water soon enough. No need to worry. What fish do you have?
 
I have 3 mollies (one little one I call Dot :) ), 2 pristella tetras, 2 ghost shrimp, and 1 cory (I know I need more, but I don't have any room, and I've sort of grown attached to the little guy).
 
valleyvampiress said:
I have 3 mollies (one little one I call Dot :) ), 2 pristella tetras, 2 ghost shrimp, and 1 cory (I know I need more, but I don't have any room, and I've sort of grown attached to the little guy).
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If you have good filtration and keep up with water changes, i don't think adding a buddy for your cory would be a problem
 
YoFishboy said:
If you have good filtration and keep up with water changes, i don't think adding a buddy for your cory would be a problem
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Really? I always thought I was slightly overstocked. I do water changes every other day because I'm cycling (I only learned about how to really take care of fish when I had already bought them). If I do add another little guy, I'd wait for the cycling to be over. I'm three weeks in right now to the day. I haven't been getting any nitrate readings, but I only recently figured I've been doing the test wrong for nitrates, so I guess that explains it. :p
 
You could also put some activated carbon in your filter,and that should get rid of the discoloration in your water.
 
The colouration and pH lowering will end in a week or so. The softening/pH lowering is gradual so nothing to worry about.

Don't add any more fish until you're done cycling, but yes, after you're done cycling you can fit one more in there. However, personally, I'd get rid of the tetras and replace the with 2 cories (for a total of 3). Both fish enjoy the company of their own kind, but the tank isn't big enough for the two of 'em, and since you've already got 3 mollies to fill up the mid-top of the tank, adding more cories to fill out the bottom makes sense to me. But this is only one opinion of one possible course of action.
 
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