Re: What pH adjuster do you use ?

"Alan Silver"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Hello,
>
> I'm just about to set up my first cichlid tank (thanx to loads of
useful
> info here a few months ago). A few people mentioned using a pH adjuster
> for the water as ours is neutral and pretty soft out of the tap.
>
> Anyone any recommendations ? I'm in the UK if that makes any difference
> as to what products are available. I am planning on keeping Malawis.
> What pH should I aim for ?
>
> TIA
>
> --
> Alan Silver

For gravel, use crushed coral.  This will naturally buffer your water,
and increase your pH & hardness.  Alternately (or as well), use rockwork
which leaches calcium into the water (tufa, dolomite, aragonite etc).
Using natural products is IMHO the best pH adjuster as it's gradual and
will not stress the fish with any rapid changes.  Fine tuning pH is
usually not necessary as most fish acclimate to non-extreme conditions.
If you were having trouble breeding them, you might want to tweak it
further, but otherwise, it's better to keep them at your source water
conditions (with a little buffering from natural stones in the tank), and
keep to regular water changes and follow proper filter maintenance (with
some redundancy using dual filters or dual filter media). JMO

ps: I have soft water at work and currently carrying eggs are : Rusty's,
Zebra's, Nyasi's, Nyererei's, Kenyii's, Johanni's,  and Ahli's (electric
Blues).  I've got baby Labs and 3 generations of Brichardis and counting,
(all on crushed coral).  No luck with the Leleupis so far (even tried
hard water).  The C. Moori did breed in hard water, and trying to get
some action out of the Julidochromis marlieri next.  All this to say,
that even for spawning, they are often not too particular about the
hardness.

NetMax