PH

[Jerm_the_werm]

..what is the most effective way to keep my ph around 8... i will be doing water changes every week most likely ... probably 25-30% if that makes any difference (i am sure it does) i am not sure about filtration yet but i can assure you it will be more than minimum..i would appriciate any help anyone can give me..
thanks

[jackson17]

What is your normal PH? And why do you want to keep it around 8? What fish you thinking of doing? lol

[Jerm_the_werm]

i havnt set my tank up yet.. im doing african cichlids... everything ive read says to try and keep it at 8ish

[jackson17]

Do you know what your PH coming out of the tap is? Could be pretty close to it already.

[Algenco]

I bet your PH is around 8 and the water is hard

[jackson17]

lol Algenco. Test your water before. If its anywhere from 7.5 up, it should be ok for Africans. They have a special substrate for them to use to help keep it around 8 and raise it ( I think, well I know it keeps it from dipping but idk about the raising part).

[MonkeyPox]

Use aragonite as your substrate and you'll be fine

[Jerm_the_werm]

cool... dou know what it is called? if not ill ask people at the LFS.. thanks for the help guys..

[Jerm_the_werm]

lol never mind

[jackson17]

Don't know the exact name but it says in big letters on it African cichlid mix or something like that. lol Should be easy to find. The bags by me are little white and black sand looking stuff.

[Jerm_the_werm]

cool ill look at the LFS for it.. any idea how much will need for a 75g tank 48" long 18" wide...

[jackson17]

Uhh. You probably going to need about 4-6 bags. Depending on how deep. They like caves and from what I've seen, they will move some around to make a cave under the rock so you may want maybe 2 inches? idk lol.

[Algenco]

ask them what the PH of their tapwater is, most of the water in Indiana comes from wells and is very hard with a PH around 8.
Big business for the water softener companies

[Jerm_the_werm]

lol yea.. it probably is around 8 here... if it is will it go down if i dont use that aragonite?

[Algenco]

lol yea.. it probably is around 8 here... if it is will it go down if i dont use that aragonite?


doubtful, unless your planning on keeping wild caught Africans I wouldn't worry too much about the H

[Jerm_the_werm]

i am just buying them from the LFS... lol most likely not wild caught

[jackson17]

Ya no need to worry. With right acclimation, fish can adjust to most PH, unless it was really off from what they need like around 6 lol, doubtful.

[Jerm_the_werm]

i kind of figured that but i'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Shotgun]

you can have my 8.4 tap hard water. No but um sea shells work, rocks and they sell gravel buffers.

[Algenco]

a little crushed limestone will work too, but I think your water will be fine without using buffers.

Glad to see you doing your research firstthumbs2:

[jackson17]

i kind of figured that but i'd rather be safe than sorry.

Ya, always better to do that lol :22:

[Jerm_the_werm]

my tap ph is 7.2