Co2 And/or Bogwood

[fishstick]

I love the look of the large piece of bogwood in my 180l tank (even though it is covered in white spots- from the nerite snail I believe) but I know it must be softening the water to an extent and this is not good in a tank with shelldwellers. However they have been well for 6 months and have had fry. If I remove the bogwood and put a co2 system in will the water be worse for the shelldwellers or equal to the bogwood effect? If I put coral sand in I think it would boost the ph to counteract the co2. I do want better plants.

 

[fishstick]

Please....somebody reply- I really need to know if a fairly large piece of bogwood would lower ph more than co2. In other words my tap water is 7 and after a week the ph is still 7; if I remove the the bogwood and put in co2 will my shelldwellers, who need hard water, be damaged? For obvious reasons I don't want to experiment.

 

[Themuleous]

Depends on the type of 'bogwood' you've got, some (the mopani) wood isn't actually bogwood at all and IME does very little to the pH, if on the other hand you have the stuff that they actually take from bogs, then it can have a dramatic effect on pH. But from what you say it sounds like the pH in the tank is the same as the tap water pH so I would think its not having any sot of effect.

Can you post a pic, Im sure we can tell the difference.

And in answer to your original question, I personally wouldn't want to be adding coral sand to bring the pH back up, you'll be riding a fine line trying to balance the two out and in any case would the shelldwellers not be ok in a lower pH? I've got snails in my nano and that runs are around 6 to 6.2 pH.

Sam

 

[fishstick]

Thankyou Themuleous. If you are fairly new its encouraging to get a response otherwise you feel you have asked a question too stupid to answer.
I wish I could post a pic but am new to that too but getting there.

 

[Themuleous]

you feel you have asked a question too stupid to answer.

The only stupid question, is the one that isn't asked

Sam