Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, so I'll start with some background, but I'm looking for some advice (or reassurance) as I start a new 30 gallon aquarium.

Prior to moving I previously has a planted 10 gallon freshwater tank that was doing quite well. But knowing that I would be gaining a free 30 gallon set up after I moved, I dismantled my 10 gallon. Now that I've moved I've begun setting up my 30 gallon ans I don't know how things are going!

I set a 30 lb small gravel base and added water (a mix of treated tap pH of 7.6 and RO ph 7.0) that I had used with my 10 gallon. I have a Penguin 150 with a biowheel pump and an additional phosphate pad in it. I had used this set up successfully on my 10 gallon. An aquarium store employee gave me a vial of bacteria culture to put in the tank, when I told him I didn't have experience using a store bought culture, he said it would work faster than if I got cultures from another person's tank so I put that in as well. I let the filter cycle for 24+ hours.

After the cycling I added some moderate/low lighting plants, I don't know what all of them are but I will include pictures. I allowed the plants to cycle in the system for 24+ hours before adding 4 platys (2 blue and 2 sun fire). This was faster than I would have liked to add fish, but I fell victim to getting excited.

Currently the tank has been in operation for 4 full days, today would make the 5th. My concern is that when I test the pH of the system, I always do this at least 3 hours after the light has been on, it is consistently coming up at pH 6.6 - 6.8 (depending on how you interpret the colors). I am concerned I might be losing my plants, but I can't tell any discoloration or weakness. I don't have a KH test, but I will get one today to gauge CO2 concentration. I worry about adding CO2 right now since I don't know whether or not the plants are actually phosphorylat-ing and adding CO2 would potentially lower the pH further.

The ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels are all at the lowest levels on the card. Also that clear tube in the picture was used to power the "sand waterfall" in that fixture, it stopped working and the air output was minimal, it is no longer "on" in the tank

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

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IslandRzrbk

35g Planted Freshwater tank - 4 platies, 2 veiled angelfish (juvenile), 1 pictus catfish (juvenile), 1 golden Chinese algae eater (juvenile), 1 candy-striped plecostomas (juvenile), 1 female veiltail betta

Looks very nice! I wouldn't worry about the pH. As long as your plants and fish are healthy, and as long as you don't have wide swings in the levels, it should be fine. 6.8-ish is just about neutral, which I think is good (I'm not too savvy on pH myself, so these are just my opinions based on what I've read, observed in my own tank and from advice given to me by other forum members, so I'm no expert! ) The live plants will help to even out the pH, too.

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Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.