Buffering questions

[captmicha]

I'm getting ready to set up a large Malawi tank for my Haps and want to be more precise this time about buffering.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/water_chemistry.php

I have Instant Ocean reef salt. This has buffering agents. So should I start with this, and then use epsom and baking soda? If not, in what order should I use them?

I also use crushed coral, oyster shells, rocks, etc. How am I supposed to accommodate for their buffering effect? Doesn't it change from time to time??

My parameters out the tap (well water) are: GH 8 degrees, KH 2, pH 6.5.

Is there a calculator that figures out how much of each I need to add for me?

 

[chriscoli]

I stopped adding reef salt to my Malawi fish and just go with baking soda and epsom salts. I do have a buffering substrate as well, but the effects of that are much slower. The most important thing is that you provide them with consistent water parameters even if that ends up being just tap water.

For what it's worth, I usually raise my fry and juvies in regular DC tap water and only buffer the tanks that I'm trying to get to spawn....and that's only if they aren't already spwaning like crazy. I do notice a difference in the way the fish look (colors are brighter) when I add epsom and baking soda so I guess if I were doing a show tank, I'd add them as well.

 

[zendog]

I don't keep Malawi fish, but have kept a bunch of tangs over the years. For me, with Arlington water which is already hard and alkaline, I used marine salt (1tsp), backing soda (1tsp) and epsom (1TBS) per 5 gallon bucket and the fish were always healthy, disease free and spawned well. My only losses came from a few jumpers (Xenotilapia) and some tiny fry that I'm pretty sure was from a too abrupt/cool water change. So I think matching water is worth it.

Since Malawi is no where near as hard as Tanganyika and has less salt, I would consider adding a half tsp of marine salt (none if it was tap, but you are on a well), a full tsp of backing soda and a tsp of epsom salts to 5 gallons of your well water, put an airstone in it for an hour or so and then test it. If the pH gets to the high 7s that would be good and low 8s are fine as well. You are starting lower in both pH and KH than local tap which is why I would keep the baking soda at 1tsp. This is admittedly just guessing for me, but it is what I would try starting from your water.

You will see a lot of different ideas on what these fish need, but I just try to get my water closer to the chemistry of the lakes and keep it at the same chemistry. Stability is definitely one of the most important things to try to maintain for rift lake fish, so try not to change anything you're doing quickly.

 

[chriscoli]

Yep, I use your recipe half-strength (minus the marine salt) in my tanks.

The reason I go half-strength is that I saw a few batches of Tang fry that had some major deformities at one point. After talking to folks who had the same experience, it was suggested that the salts were the problem since they can creep up over time if you aren't careful to add back only that which is removed during water changes.

Since backing off on the dose, I haven't seen any deformities. Coincidence...maybe, but the fish seem no worse for having things added half-strength. Other people do great with the full-strength recipe, too, so you may want to try it for a bit and see how things go.

 

[captmicha]

Yep, I use your recipe half-strength (minus the marine salt) in my tanks.

The reason I go half-strength is that I saw a few batches of Tang fry that had some major deformities at one point. After talking to folks who had the same experience, it was suggested that the salts were the problem since they can creep up over time if you aren't careful to add back only that which is removed during water changes.

Since backing off on the dose, I haven't seen any deformities. Coincidence...maybe, but the fish seem no worse for having things added half-strength. Other people do great with the full-strength recipe, too, so you may want to try it for a bit and see how things go.

I was thinking about marking my tanks and only changing that amount of water so it would be the same everytime. Hopefully. And only topping off, if ever needed, with pure well water and nothing added.

 

[captmicha]

It probably doesn't work this way, but couldn't I get a gallon buffered, and then just times that by how many gallons are in my tank?

 

[chriscoli]

I mark my tanks, too. I think it's an "ish" thing.

 

[zendog]

It probably doesn't work this way, but couldn't I get a gallon buffered, and then just times that by how many gallons are in my tank?

Yes, sort of. If you mean for how much buffer you'll need for the full tank make sure you know how many gallons are actually in the tank. It is usually less, sometimes 20% less on some smaller tanks, than what is advertised as the size. I think this is due to the capacity being measured by the exterior volume, not the interior. And then you add some substrate, some decor and don't fill it right to the top...

 

[bossanova]

I add nothing but prime to my Malawi tank, and it's been great for a long time. I'm good about WCs and have heavy filtration

 

[captmicha]

I add nothing but prime to my Malawi tank, and it's been great for a long time. I'm good about WCs and have heavy filtration

Well what are your parameters?

My haps looked and acted alright in my well water, but look a bit shinier in my buffered water. And my Molly finally added weight and unclamped her fins.

 

[stany]

I went with CaribSea Aragonite sand as my substrate and use Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt and Malawi Victoria Buffer with water changes. Ph has not varied between 8.0 and 8.2. I do use RO water for changes which has a Ph of 6.0. So far it works for me. Think the Aragonite helps maintain the buffering which I think is more important by not preventing swings . It's an all male tank so not sure how it would affect breeding.

 

[dogofwar]

Honestly, I've never buffered water for African Cichlids beyond using buffering substrate and rocks in the tank.

I've never lived somewhere (including here) where water coming out of the tap wasn't amenable to keeping and breeding them...

Matt

 

[chriscoli]

We had a speaker give a talk a few years back on Victorian cichlids. He had actually measured parts of Lake Victoria when he lived there. There are parts of the lake that are super high pH and high TDS and other parts that are comparable to DC tap water. The fish he kept did fine in both.

 

[captmicha]

We had a speaker give a talk a few years back on Victorian cichlids. He had actually measured parts of Lake Victoria when he lived there. There are parts of the lake that are super high pH and high TDS and other parts that are comparable to DC tap water. The fish he kept did fine in both.

What's DC tap like?

I like the idea of not having to mess with the water. Unfortunately, my live bearers seems to need it and I wanted to keep them in with my cichlids.

 

[Digital]

Caribsea cichlid substrate is worth it in the long run. you can find really good deals on amazon.