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Re: glass affecting pH



Hi Lobos,
I don't think the substrate can be the problem - it is 3/4 sand/red clay mix 
soil from my garden, mixed with 1/4 sphagnum moss peat. As far as I know 
neither of those things leaches basic compounds into the water, in fact the 
peat should leach humic ACIDS surely? Come to think of it the last substrate 
was equally inert, being red builder's sand out of a busted sandbag. However 
I didn't wash it before I put it in so I kinda assumed a cat must have 
widdled on it or something to make it alkaline. Sadly I don't own an ammonia 
t.k. (all my tanks are cycled already). Also, my 20g has the same red 
sand/clay soil in it and has never had any problems with high pH. The vase 
was very cheap so i thought maybe there is a cut-price kind of glass that 
leaches basic compounds (sodium hyroxide? could be) when in contact with 
water. Wouldn't be much good for flowers, then, either....
Regards,
Matt
PS Ee-jit is convalescing fine, he ate a whole load of bloodworms today and I 
think the big gouramis are scared of him even though he's 1/4 their size...