Is this gravel that up my PH?

**bluebubbles** · 2nd Nov 2011, 14:36

I bought from unknown source online. I mixed two type of gravel together. The larger piece is river gravel (I think) but I do not know what is that smallest round white ball, they don't look like coral to me, no seashell. I started my tank a month ago, still aging. My current PH is at least 7.6. Anyone her has any clue to share?

Attachment 26608

**wongce** · 2nd Nov 2011, 14:44

i think i saw a seashell on the middle left?? maybe i am wrong??

**avex30** · 2nd Nov 2011, 18:00

Look as if there is small pieces of coral chips maybe my eyes is playing trick on me. Also if you are using direct tap water advise to check your tapwater. You are not using any soil to buffer the ph down or lower the ph so mean you need to use other mean if you want a lower ph. Other means as in product like blackwater or ph down etc......

**bluebubbles** · 2nd Nov 2011, 19:56

Originally Posted by avex30

Look as if there is small pieces of coral chips maybe my eyes is playing trick on me. Also if you are using direct tap water advise to check your tapwater. You are not using any soil to buffer the ph down or lower the ph so mean you need to use other mean if you want a lower ph. Other means as in product like blackwater or ph down etc......

I have GEX subtrate good for plants and shrimp, they took up 2/3 of my fish tank and is 5cm thick. The gravel took up only 1/3 and is around 3cm thick. My tank is heavily planted with various flora....
I have just bought black water, will monitor after putting a few drips in there to test.

**Dreamgarden** · 2nd Nov 2011, 20:12

Hi,
From what I know.
Higher the KH (water hardness) the PH will go higher. There is a chart on KH-PH relationship.
Coral chip will slowly move the KH level upwards after each water change, thus you will have higher PH.
I believed I saw some framented coral chip mixed with your gravel but I may see wrongly.
Water from Singapore tap is mostly at KH 0.

Hope this helps.

**bluebubbles** · 2nd Nov 2011, 20:20

I see, will the coral chips become inert after some times? Besides, are there really such a small coral chips? Usually I thought they are big pieces. If not I may have to remove them and replace with inert gravel. I don't think I can remove them totally since they have been mixed with river gravel. I hope by reducing their quantity by 80% may help.

**wongce** · 2nd Nov 2011, 20:27

i encounter this issue some time back, the LFS sold white sand without telling customers its sea sand. you can check using magnifier and see whether is there sea shells etc. The coral chips are small fragments, some can be as tiny as 1-2mm..hard to spot...

btw, you accidentally got yourself a sulawesi tank...LOL....just joking ah bro..Don't get angry...

**bluebubbles** · 2nd Nov 2011, 21:43

Originally Posted by wongce

i encounter this issue some time back, the LFS sold white sand without telling customers its sea sand. you can check using magnifier and see whether is there sea shells etc. The coral chips are small fragments, some can be as tiny as 1-2mm..hard to spot...

btw, you accidentally got yourself a sulawesi tank...LOL....just joking ah bro..Don't get angry...

No lah, where got angry. Luckily posted my photo while my tank is still aging. Already siphoned out most of the white sand...hehehe. Quite easy since it has been separated from the GEX soil by a long dw. Will look for proper gravel. Any suggestion or one that you tested and recommend to me to create a beach scene for aesthetic landscape.

**stormhawk** · 7th Nov 2011, 06:14

The sand you have is made up of quartz pebbles, some grinded coral chips, bits of seashells (avex30 did spot a shell) and a bunch of oolites, probably limestone bits. This is the cause of your pH rise.

The use of filter peat in a filter bag may help to buffer the pH somewhat. You can always go for a Sulawesi tank like what wongce suggested.

**bluebubbles** · 11th Nov 2011, 01:52

Originally Posted by stormhawk

The sand you have is made up of quartz pebbles, some grinded coral chips, bits of seashells (avex30 did spot a shell) and a bunch of oolites, probably limestone bits. This is the cause of your pH rise.

The use of filter peat in a filter bag may help to buffer the pH somewhat. You can always go for a Sulawesi tank like what wongce suggested.

Thanks for your comprehensive informations of what make up those sand. I have already changed them to sand gravel and bought some peat moss for my filter. As for sulawasi, too expensive for me and what if someday the PH come down all my sulawsi will go meet heaven...hahaha

**huizhong** · 11th Nov 2011, 07:09

a beach effect? i just bought a super fine white sand. really look like a beach. they are very fine. its not suitable for my tank, would like to sell it at a loss.

**edmund_83** · 11th Nov 2011, 10:26

take a portion of your gravel... then soak with vinegar and see what you got

**marimo** · 11th Nov 2011, 10:40

somehow the white balls reminds me of fertilizer at far east flora.. looks the same

nevertheless river gravel should be pH neutral? The packaging will state if its pH neutral

**stormhawk** · 13th Nov 2011, 09:39

River gravel, depends on the bits within, and where they were mined. I remember using this huge bag of gravel under the brand Lapis Lustre, from a company called RMC Pacific Materials Inc. Probably the safest inert gravel you can find in big quantity and decent pricing. There are fancy gravels from companies like Sudo, GEX, etc, but sometimes those are just dyed bits of quartz gravel.

**bluebubbles** · 27th Nov 2011, 11:02

My river gravel was bought in loose form from the bigger labelled packet. NA boss told me they are neutral to PH. Currently I see sign of my PH dropping from 7.6 to 7.2 and sustained there. Today it seemed like going to reach 7 soon. So the sand river gravel must be quite effective not to up the PH. Than again, other element might be at play, like my GEX soil and peat moss...plus the poo built up from shrimps...