what is this

I don't think you have anything in particular to worry about...curious about a) your Nitrate reading tested with a good liquid drop test kit b) how often you're changing water and c) how much you change ? Also how long is the tank set up ?
 
I don't mean to go off the subject, but won't a coconut shell deteriorate in water? It's a unique idea!
 
coconut will just be fine in the tank, many people use it as a cave for fish..

about the tank, those thing is pretty difficult to be scraped off, i dont want to make more scratches
so i just leave it there, and i do 100% water change every 2 days, the condition is getting better now..
:headbang2:
 
If you are worried about scratches try using a cloth diaper or old t-shirt to wipe the inside walls - just make sure the cloth is rinsed really well first to be sure you don't introduce detergent residue.
 
It looks almost like hte residue that comes off concrete in water as it cures. I'm getting the same thing in the buckets I'm curing my DIY liverock in, made from portland cement. Did you cure that concrete background before putting it into the tank? If not, I would expect your pH to be north of 10 or so and that gritty buildup all over everything until its finished curing.
 
thanks jenratico, i will try to do that..

I cured it for 6 days before installing it to the tank..
however, the way I cure it is not by fully submerge it in the water..
I just put a very wet towel on top of it, and sometimes spray some water..

I have just tested the pH again this morning, it is still give a high reading..
and the 3 platies and a guppy in there seem to be fine...
I hope I can just find a digital pH reader here, it can read a full range of pH isnt it?
 
I've been curing my DIY rock for about two months and the pH is still about 12. 6 days is not neearly enough time IMO.
 
2 months ? :eek3:
May I know how big is your DIY rock?
Do you change water everyday?

Is there any natural stuff that I can put in the tank that may drastically lower down the pH?

How do you measure the pH?
 
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I have a 5 gallon bucket thats basically full of rocks, so I am probably dealing with a good deal more cement to cure than you are, and in a smaller water volume. I changed the water every day for the first month, and I've been doing it in about 3 day intervals now because i've been checking the pH after 3 days of soaking, because I'm expecting the cure to finish up any time now.

You can try driftwood or peat to soften the water, but you're better off just letting the cement do its own thing I think.
 
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