Still So Many Questions... Ph, Cories, Live Plants, Etc.

[FlakeyBiscuit3.14]

Hello again all!
 
Thank you so much for all previous help, but I'm still feeling a little iffy on a number of things and have been having some difficulty finding clear answers to some of my questions that keep coming up. And once again, I apologize for the length of my post....^^;
 
 
First up is my biggest concern, pH, which I have kind of touched on before, but now I am looking at it with a new tank. I am really obsessed with cory cats. I went so far as to upgrade my initial 10G to a 29G, and to buy a very fine sand for the substrate, just so that I can keep cories. That tank is cycling now, but the pH is up at 8.2. This is not because of my sand (I was sure to get pH neutral sand) or because of any other decorations (I have nothing else in it at the moment lol). My water is just naturally really basic. Now, I have not yet invested in a liquid test kit (plan on doing so soon but waiting for my bonus at work), and have just been using the cheap test strips, so I'm not sure how accurate my assumption of 8.2 is... but in any case, my water is testing (approximately) as follows on the test strip: hardness GH 0, alkalinity KH 300, and pH 8.2. What can I do to keep cories?? The species of cory listed as available at my LFS are Julii, panda, skunk, albino, pygmy, con-color, deckeri, and paleatus. As far as I can tell, none of the cories can handle a pH quite that high. I would rather not use peat moss, and I've already read not to use the pH stabilizers typically sold. How much will driftwood lower my pH? If I put a few decent sized pieces in my tank will it bring it down to like 7.6 or just 8.0? I would rather use RO water than peat moss (not that I have a real good reason for this).
 
So.... lowering pH with driftwood? Can cories handle higher pH?
 
Now, on to live plants. I would love to have a natural planted tank, but I don't even keep potted plants... I have noooo idea what to do with the plants. I figured I would just start with really hardy easy plants like Java fern, but I'm not even entirely sure what to do with those... Do I just stick their roots in the sand? Do I leave them in the little pots they come in or take them out? Once in there, do I need to do anything to care for them? The tank will get a small amount of natural sunlight and then I have LED lights for my tank. I take very good care of my pets, but I like to make everything as low maintenance as possible. I would much rather invest time and money in the beginning to have lower daily/weekly/monthly upkeep care any day. So is there anything I need to do or can do to my tank in regards to this?
 
 
Other than that, I just have a number of random (and hopefully quick) questions:

I jumped into getting sand for my cories, and then read that gases can build up in the sand. What can I do to prevent this from harming my fish?
 
When I get a school of bloodfin tetras, if I get half of the school from one pet store, and the other half from another pet store, will they notice? Does this make them any more or less likely to school together or breed?
 
I bought a piece of driftwood weeks ago and have been soaking it, but the water is still ~slightly~ discolored, and it has this weird film all over it. Is it okay to put it in my tank yet?
 
If I buy those frozen food packs of bloodworms, do I drop the whole frozen cube into the tank? Or thaw it out and strain the blood out?
 
As far as this forum goes, are my posts like this obnoxious? I never know if I should just post each question as it comes to me or hold them all in and let them explode into these massive posts as I have been... Should I be posting them under a different thread section? I just figure I'm very new to the hobby so I post here...
 
 
 
Again, thank you so much to everyone in this forum!!! I am so obsessed with my new hobby and yet the more I research and the more I delve deeper the more questions I have!!

 

[Ninjouzata]

When you get the liquid test kit try testing your tap water after it's sat out for 24 hours.
I don't know anything about RO and whatnot, sorry. Driftwood will lower pH but usually not much..and it'll go back up once it stops leeching tannins.
 
Java fern you'll want to attach to rock or driftwood. Some other plants that might work for you are water sprite, swords, cryptocorynes, anacharis/elodea, vallisneria, anubias (attach this to rocks or driftwood), hornwort (you can weigh this down but it's usually a floating plant), dwarf water lettuce (floating), moss balls, java moss (attach or let float). The swords and crypts would appreciate root tabs which is something you just push into the substrate and it lasts a few months.
 
You can stir the sand when you do water changes if you want, with something like chopsticks or your hands or a fork. This shouldn't be an issue though unless your sand is really deep.
 
The fish will not pay any mind to if they came from a different store or not. They just need to be the same specie.
 
The discoloration is probably tannins which is perfectly fine for fish, and is actually beneficial for them. The film is normal and should go away on it's own, some snails and fish like to eat it. You can put it in your tank if you want.
 
Some people drop the whole cube in, some defrost and strain it. It's up to you. I prefer defrosting.
 
It's not obnoxious at all. It could be difficult if you didn't space it out but you've done that so it's much easier to read

Please continue to post any questions you may have.
You might get more responses for certain questions if you put it in a certain section but you can post them all at once too if you want.

 

[daizeUK]

I have heard that Sterbai cories are one of the most alkaline-tolerating cories available.
 
Java fern, take them out of their pots, cut any roots to about 1cm, tie it to wood or rock.  Fishing line works best for tying although you can use superglue (check the ingredients only contain cyanoacrylate).  A little general trace fertiliser will be appreciated.  
 
Avoid natural sunlight if you can, it will promote algae.  Use a timer to limit your lights to about 6-8 hours a day.
 
Deep sand is not recommended due to gas build-up.  Keep your sand at about 1 inch depth, or 1.5 to 2 inches where you have rooted plants and it will be fine.  
 
You can put driftwood in your tank, the tannins do no harm and are usually beneficial.  It is more an aesthetic choice to soak them out.
 
Frozen food - I asked this same question recently.  The safest option seems to be to defrost it in some tank water first.
 
I don't think your posts are obnoxious  Sometimes you might get a more detailed answer if you devote a thread to one specific question but it's fine to see what general answers you get first!

 

[brittgs]

I will say that I am a horrible gardener but the plants in my 29 and 5 gallon tanks are doing very well. I got low tech, hardy plants such as the ones Nin mentioned above and added root tabs. they sure growing so well with no interference from me that periodically have to thin them out.

I love my cories. They are great fun to watch.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm also a very poor gardener and I kill a lot of house plants as well, but the plants in my tanks mostly grow really well, so I think aqautics, once you get the right ones, must be easy

 

[FlakeyBiscuit3.14]

I have my sand going from about 3/4 inch in the front to 2 inch deep in the back. So maybe just stir the back occasionally during water changes?
 
And with the plants, so I can't just stick 'em in there? lol Just use regular fishing line to tie them to something?
 
Since the Sterbai cories are not available at my LFS (though I will ask them about ordering them if this is possible), are there other bottom feeders that can tolerate high pH? As much as I LOVE the cories, I really do enjoy all of the catfish/loaches/bottom feeders. I don't know what it is about them... they're just so stinking adorable.
 
Thanks

 

[daizeUK]

And with the plants, so I can't just stick 'em in there? lol Just use regular fishing line to tie them to something?
 
Since the Sterbai cories are not available at my LFS (though I will ask them about ordering them if this is possible), are there other bottom feeders that can tolerate high pH? As much as I LOVE the cories, I really do enjoy all of the catfish/loaches/bottom feeders. I don't know what it is about them... they're just so stinking adorable.
 
Thanks

 
For the java fern and anubias nana yes, just tie them on with fishing line.  Most other plants will want their roots in the sand.

 

[FlakeyBiscuit3.14]

 

And with the plants, so I can't just stick 'em in there? lol Just use regular fishing line to tie them to something?

 
For the java fern and anubias nana yes, just tie them on with fishing line.  Most other plants will want their roots in the sand.
 

Oh, okay now I'm rereading what you and Nin wrote and I see