I love my driftwood with Java Fern tied to it - I can move it around when I clean the tank. I just read that driftwood lowers the pH of the water. Does anybody else have that experience? I have to adjust my pH anyway, and change the water regularly, so maybe doing that, I don't have to worry about it. I'd be curious if anybody else has found that it affects pH much.

Yes this can happen, I think it's because tanins leech out from the wood (not positive about that). Apparently the best thing to do is presoak the wood before putting it in the tank. I actually lost one of my favorite fish to a pH crash caused by driftwood

However, it sounds like you're doing fine with keeping your pH stable. Just make sure things are well buffered and I think you'll be fine.

My aquarium has been setup for over a year now with some plants that I have had for well over 4 years. Many, many of them are new but their are a few that are years old. I do NOT add co2 and found that I need to use a bubble stone because of the fertilizers tend to form a haze on the surface of the water's surface if I don't.

I have over 40 different varieties of plants and well over 100 individual plant-lets in my 125 gallon tank and have some driftwood as well. If you want to keep your PH buffered a little easier add a (little) crushed coral to either your filter or to the substrata. If possible add it to your filter and NOT your substrata because it is sharp and you can cut yourself on it. It is also possible for your Goldfish to be cut too.

NOTE: slowly add a 1/2 a cup at a time per week to your tank until your PH levels out where you want it to be so you don't over due it all at once and can keep your PH where you want it. You could even add this into a bag that normally would be used for filters if you must leave it in the tank so it is all together in 1 spot.

The bad part of using crushed coral is that it does limit you somewhat on the types of plants you can grow. Any plant that needs low PH will more than likely die in the high PH that crushed coral creates. It also makes your water really HARD and it hampers to an extent how well your plants will grow by limiting nutrients that can be used. The same with the PH if it goes too high.

I have 4 Goldfish in my aquarium and still need to add fertilizers because of my plant load. Here is a list of plants I keep with my setup with (192 watts of light) 1.92 wpg. I also add Flourish Excel every day, I add Iron every other day, Potassium every other day, Kent freshwater plant every 3 days, and will soon be adding nitrites as I need them to keep them at 5 ppm. The last 15 plants are newer (past 2 months) and as such I consider them TEST plants as they have not made it a year yet but so far are giving decent growth.

Aponogeton ulvaceus (Aponogeton ulvaceus)
Straight Vallisneria (Vallisneria Spiralis)
Red Rubin
Ceratophyllum submersum (Tropical Hornwort)
Red Ozelot Sword(ECHINO OZELOT)
Bacopa Monnieri (Money wort)
Anubias nana
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Anacharis (Egeria Densa)
Red Ludwigia (Ludwigia repens broad leaf)
Rotala Indica
Giant Hygro AKA (Hygrophila corymbosa) "stricta"
Anubias Lanceo
Anubias Minima
Hydrocotyle leucocephala (Pennywort) Brazillian Pennywort
Giant Bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana) aka LEMON BACOPA
(Aponogeton longiplumulosus) XNICE
Aponogeton natans
Aponogeton capuroni
Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)
Plagiomnium Trichomanes
Barclaya longifolia red
Petita Nana (Anubias barteri 'Petite')
Rotala rotundifolia
Ludwigia arcuata
Alternanthera reineckii 'lilacina'
Lobelia cardinalis 'Dwarf' AKA Lobelia
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' AKA (Creeping Jenny)
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides AKA (Lawn Marshpennywort)
Anubias barteri var nana 'Yellow Heart'
Suesswassertang AKA Süßwassertang
Pogostemon stellata or Eustralis
Blood Stargrass (Didiplis Diandra)
Hygro difformis
SAG-Narrow-Leaf Dwarf Subulata
Hairgrass, Giant
Telenthera or Red Temple
Anubias Coffeefolia
Cabomba Carolina
Rotala macrandra Varigated AKA (Giant Red Rotala)
Rotala sp. 'wallichii' AKA (Rotala wallichii)
Pogostemon helferi AKA Downoi
Bacopa sp. 'Colorata' AKA Bacopa Pink
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica' AKA Tropica Crypt

James

jlroar - I love your salad buffet for goldfish! I can see how far I have to go to understand the plant-keeping! I will have to look up the plants.

You are adding nitrites, actually? Nitrates do not offer enough nutrition? I am also seeing that you are adding other nutrients. So much to learn. What are they planted in - gravel alone, or something else?

I may have the world's softest water, and I have started using the crushed coral in the filter. It seems to be working on the pH, but I am still experimenting to see exactly how much is needed. I will be interested to see if it brings up the hardness any.

Do you use a special grow-light, or do the regular fluorescent lights work?

I am really out of my element here, and I know I have a long way to go with water plants. Thanks for the info.

Hi,

Soooo sorry for the long delay. I don't get on here that often (so many things to do).


LOL! Thanks I thought it was kinda cute myself.

The gravel I use is standard cheap nooppee gravel. Since I have Goldfish it is just the best solution! I also use special plant anchors that I have only found at aquariumplants.com that are made of rubber circles that you can cut for your needs. I really suggest them over any other anchor as they help keep the plant anchored even if you have an extremely hungry Goldfish.

I must add several different nutrients. Excel (so I don't have to add Co2), Potassium, Iron, and Kent Freshwater for macro nutrients (you can use any brand) and from time to time I do have to add nitrites. Normally they range at about the 5 to 10 mark so I don't have to mess with that. But if they get low the plants will suffer. It does take a while to get the knack for it. And by NO means am I a plant expert. Just a lucky Goldfish keeper.

The hardness of your water may climb extremely high. Crushed coral WILL harden the water. You must use enough of it though. Continue adding some in slowly. If you don't see any real change add up to a 1/3 of a cup extra at a time. You may not have enough room in your filter for all the coral you will need. If not you can use a baggie with holes poked into it (I suggest using a filter bag instead to keep from any danger of stagnant water) and place it under your substraite.
I use a coralife fixture (the same type that others use for a saltwater aquarium) but have found that T5's (I think that is what they are called) will work just as well and cost less. For most of the plants I listed you WILL need a decent light setup. and add nutrients

For the following plants I have had them grow with NO extra lighting and NO extra nutrients.

Giant hygro **Suggested
Anubias (all) **Suggested
Aponogeton's (all) May get rather large!
Tiger lotus (green and red) YOU MUST not let the stem reach the top of the water with this plant or all leaves will go to the top of the water and it will look horrible! Will get EXTREMELY large!

WARNING: If you have not had any plants in your aquarium as of yet you may want to place some Anacharis (2 bundles in your aquarium. This may need to be done a few times or the Goldfish may completely eat all of your other plants. Goldfish love the taste of Anacharis and it will be like adding cat nip (if they were cats) This may sound odd but allow the Anacharis to wither (slightly) before adding it to the aquarium if is isn't already so it will be soft for the Goldfish to eat. Do NOT leave it out of the water for long or it will turn to MUSH. If you find it with a brown or off colored area near the bottom that will be just fine!

**Suggested= really easy to keep.


Plants are honestly really easy to keep. It's just how much time do you want to spend working with them and how much money are you willing to spend?

Quarantine of new plants is just as important as quarantine of new fish! Plants can harber almost as many bad things as fish can.

I suggest that you at least try and dip the plants in fresh water before adding to your tank. I am going to keep Prazi on hand to treat any new plant's and any new fish!

Plants do not like many treatments that are used to keep our fish healthy like salt and some others so be careful and read those directions!

James

PM me if you have any more questions so I can respond in a more timely maner.