# Coral Gravel - Riccia/Moss



## ColinCook (21 May 2013)

Hi all - first post so apologies if this is in the wrong place!

I just thought I'd share an idea with you and also will keep you updated if it works.

My tapwater is ubelievably soft - pH 7.2 KH 0-1 GH 1 TDS 83

Because of this the pH is also very unstable. Having said that, in all the time I've kept fish I have never had a pH crash - until last week! Then it went crazy and in 5 of my 6 tanks dropped to between 4.2-5.6. The 6th tank has TMC Nutrasoil in which buffers pH but even that dropped to 5.8

I took the decision to put some coarse coral gravel into each tank just to stabilise things a little but because I keep plecos/loaches/corys didnt want to risk them damaging their barbels. I decided to put a handful or so of coral gravel into tights. My girlfriend didnt have any spare so bought some new 'pop socks' which are even better, then just cut them up.

I didnt want it showing too much so with several of the bundles I covered in Christmas Moss and bound with fishing wire and with the other 2 I put riccia fluitans into the stocking on top of the gravel.

So far they look pretty good - almost like a stone covered in moss. I've pushed other stones up against them to hide part of the sides which arent covered in moss.

The pH started to rise almost immediately and within 2 days was back to normal with no fish losses.

I'm hoping the moss 'takes' and grows properly. 4 of the tanks have no lighting at the moment although I am looking into LED strips.

Anyway, thought I'd share that lol


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## Ady34 (21 May 2013)

Nice idea, we do have soft water in the north east....good for crystal red shrimps though   I did a similar thing with a product called 'lithaqua', the only issue being you have little control of how high it raises the perameters as it will keep on buffering.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## biffster (21 May 2013)

hi colin how are you and Amanda doing sounds a great idea that keep me informed
how things go i myself put crushed cockle shell in my external filters to stable the ph
i only use three table spoonfuls to keep my ph around 6.8 to 7,0 oh by the way you  know
who i am i am a friend filter media i wont say any more lol


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## ColinCook (21 May 2013)

Hey Andy - how are you? Nice to see you 

Yes - putting it in the externals would be best but 3 of the tanks dont have externals plus I needed to get them all done and working quickly and none of the externals were due for a clean. Amanda put some in her tank when she first got it as the tank/filter were secondhand and badly neglected so her pH was all over the place and it worked really well. I just didnt want to be seeing a stocking full of gravel lol!

The annoying thing of course is that if I still kept Apistos the very very low pH may well have got them going!


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## biffster (21 May 2013)

hi Colin glad you recognised me lol i think thats a cracking idea of making
look like a moss ball type thing i have used it just in the tank before i use
it in my quarantine  tanks i also use in my wild strain guppie and endler
tanks as well it just helps to boost the ph gh and kh a bit had to find somewhere
Colin you know keep shush lol say hello to amanda for me i might have some more
bristle nose babies for her


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## ColinCook (21 May 2013)

lol thanks Andy - one of the ones she got from you before is pretty huge now and a definite male. The other is a decent size too. Both lovely markings compared to many other BNs she has seen. That Riccia is doing very well too - in fact it was some of that I used with this project!


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## biffster (21 May 2013)

what some of the riccia that you got from me well i am 
glad its doing well yeah they do grow to a nice size them 
bristle noses i have some calico ones and some super red 
albino crosses as well


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