# PH: Texas Holey Rock and Driftwood in same system; Java Moss



## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

I'm hoping to set up a system of two 33 gallon tanks and a sump (so 75 gallons or so total). In one tank I hope to put some demasoni and yellow labs with about 20 to 25 lbs of texas holey rock. In the other tank I hope to put some calvus, occies, and buffalo head with some driftwood.

My question is, if I just plan on having two pieces of driftwood (each is probably about 12" x 6" x 2" and maybe 1 lb each at most) will the texas holey rock be enough to counter balance and keep the PH in both tanks at around 8.2?

My second question is that, though I've failed miserably before with plants, I'd like to place these two pieces of driftwood flat on the ground in the tank and put Java Moss on top of it. Would that work in this setup and with these fish?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> My question is, if I just plan on having two pieces of driftwood (each is probably about 12" x 6" x 2" and maybe 1 lb each at most) will the texas holey rock be enough to counter balance and keep the PH in both tanks at around 8.2?


I had some small pieces of driftwood in a rift lake cichlid tank for a while and never had it noticably affect KH, and ulitimately pH. I'd suggest a piece that's aged a bit, but just add it and monitor the water parameters for a while.



> My second question is that, though I've failed miserably before with plants, I'd like to place these two pieces of driftwood flat on the ground in the tank and put Java Moss on top of it. Would that work in this setup and with these fish?


Neither the calvus or occies will bother the java moss. I've seen that done in a small occie tank at an lfs. It was a very nice looking setup.

hth


----------



## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

thanks prov,

very helpful, as always.

I've failed with java fern somehow, but I hope I can make this work with the java moss. The driftwood is definitely aged. It was at Scales for a while and I just picked them up before they closed. They've now just been sitting in an empty tank waiting for when I can finally put these tanks together.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

I had java moss on some driftwood for a short time. I really liked it, but doesn't work with tropheus.  They loved pulling it off and playing with it.


----------



## briansbelle (May 24, 2008)

i have plants in all of my tanks, even my shellie tanks, and julie tanks.

i have java moss, crypts,anacharis, tiger lilies,and dwarf sag.

those seem to do ok for me, and i dont even turn the lights on some of the tanks only to feed. 

i think you will be fine, just keep an eye on the mbuna, they tend to pull at the plants just for fun..dont seem to eat them just like to play with them...and java moss once it gets tore apart makes a huge mess in the tank, and will grow on whatever it sticks to. :lol:


----------



## cholile (Oct 28, 2007)

not putting the java moss in with the mbuna. as you say, that's a recipe for disaster (or at least shredded plants). the mbuna tank will be texas holey rock, black substrate, and maybe some small yellow snail shells. that's it. the driftwood and java moss is for the tangs because the tangs have the exciting behavior but not the color


----------

