# JBL Manado Substrate



## Vijay (Feb 15, 2012)

Folks,

I have recently setup fish tank (55 gallon) using fishless cycle and readings are all in range ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate - 20 however PH is touching 8. I have checked my tap water which is around 6.4. I have few plants inside tank and mangrove wood log quite big. There is no fish yet but so high PH. is JBL Manado substrate a culprit here because when first day i added substrate . ph showed 8.8 or pretty much offscale with my API master kit but within few hrs it has reduced to 8.

Tank is cycled almost a month plus now. However i added substrate 3 days ago. Please help me as I am lost if PH is going to stay at 8 or going to come down.


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## Vijay (Feb 15, 2012)

any one has any answers?


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

What kind of substrate did ya use.. why did you wait so long for the substrate add? That substrate will be one of the biggest host of bacteria .. Bill in Va.


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## williemcd (Jun 23, 2011)

And in fact that wood will lower your ph. Do an experiment sometime... draw a bucket of tap and test. let it set for 24 hrs and retest it. And please, let us know the results of those two tests. Bill


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

The wood will only lower PH if it is leaching tannins, otherwise it will do very little if anything.

Did you let your tap water stand for 24 hours before testing?

Not familiar with Manado, cant get it here it seems. I use the AquaBasis, and it is excellent.


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