Cichlid ph

[exeori]

I keep ram cichlids and the recommended ph is around 6.5, what's the best ways to lower the ph as mine is about 7.4 from the tap. Thanks!

 

[Brookster123]

You could add a bunch of driftwood.. I keep rams in the low 7's.. Have you tested your ph right out of the tap vs. what it is in the tanks? As long as you drip acclimate them well they should be fine at that ph..

 

[Iamtechno13]

Driftwood is one way but it does take a long time and it isn't very dramatic change and once you change the water most of those effects are lost. I have driftwood in all of my tanks. The best ways are going to be by using peat in your filter or in your tank or by the use of RO water. There are other ways to do it by using buffers such as discus buffer or acid buffer by Seachem but at this point I prefer the RO water. I use RO water for almost all of my Apisto's as I try to keep it below 6 normally right around 5.6-5.7. Also, depending on your filter you could put some peat in there as that will soften and lower the pH.

 

[MeCasa]

No intent to hyjack your thread, exeori, but since we're on the subject

I chose my fish for my ph (8.2) because of the ease of water changes etc.

But I wouldn't be against throwing some peat in my cannisters just to soften the water for my plants. How long does the affect of the peat last and where do you put it?

I have two cannisters, a 500 and a 700. I keep ceramic media in the top of both. The 700 draws low and the 500 is being setup to draw higher up in the tank and it will have a inline UV

Would there be gains? How much would you add, where would you add it and would you add it to both?

Thanks

 

[hsojkrieger]

i wouldnt worry about it they will adapt to it, ive had rams in the same ph for a few years and they were fine. i feel that consistency is more important. just my opinion, hope you figure it all out

 

[Iamtechno13]

Well I don't use Canister filters but I know that Fluval makes a Peat Granule that I'm sure you could just put in the proper bag for your filter and just put it in there. It will stain the water as it does release tannins and some other beneficial stuff. You could even put it under the substrate but probably easier as you're setting the tank up. Depending on tank size and water flow and how much you use I'm sure will all affect how much it changes the water. Letting leaves such as Oak, Almond, ect.. break down in the tank will also affect the pH by lowering it.

 

[Brookster123]

Driftwood is one way but it does take a long time and it isn't very dramatic change and once you change the water most of those effects are lost. I have driftwood in all of my tanks. The best ways are going to be by using peat in your filter or in your tank or by the use of RO water. There are other ways to do it by using buffers such as discus buffer or acid buffer by Seachem but at this point I prefer the RO water. I use RO water for almost all of my Apisto's as I try to keep it below 6 normally right around 5.6-5.7. Also, depending on your filter you could put some peat in there as that will soften and lower the pH.

you must have to change water like crazy with that low a ph??? Your essentially keeping a stagnant tank with no active bacteria to aid in processing fish waste?? Am I wrong?

 

[MeCasa]

Thanks for the reply Iamtechno13. After initially digesting all the info and advice i could I decided to leave my water alone and buy fish/plants that would survive within these parameters.

Then I see a thread like this and start re-adjusting and re-evaluating my decision (mostly because I think the German Rams are magnificent fish and I'd like to own one). But when I look at the big picture, I'm just going to accept that a Ram would not be comfortable in my water and quit whining about it.

Luckily, there's a lot of beautiful options in my ph range. But the rams are truly beautiful fish

Thanks
MeCasa

 

[Iamtechno13]

Typically one maybe twice a week. Why would it be a stagnant tank with no active bacteria?

 

[Brookster123]

Typically one maybe twice a week. Why would it be a stagnant tank with no active bacteria?

everything I've learned here states that bb will stall out in a ph lower than 6.4-6.2.. I know so e apisto's natural habitats are below 6.. How??

 

[Iamtechno13]

I keep all of my Ram's except one pair in tap water and they've been not just surviving but thriving. They breed regularly at least once or twice a month and are very active. I used to go through all that trouble trying to get the pH and whatnot perfect for my Ram's but I eventually realized that it didn't matter that much as long was the water was clean. Very important for these fish. Slowly went to straight tap water and they've lost no color, still breed regularly and are always out doing something. They are great little fish, just nothing compared to Apisto's IMO.

 

[Iamtechno13]

Beneficial bacteria do cease to function efficiently or at all at a pH below 6.0 but at the same time, at a low pH, ammonia NH3 is converted to a less toxic form, Ammonium NH4. Ammonium NH4 is not very toxic to fish and is also the form the is taken in by plants. I'm sure there are some beneficial bacteria that do survive in that low pH just not in great quantities and they probably aren't nearly as efficient. Apisto habitats are naturally low, some as low as 4.5 I believe.

 

[Iamtechno13]

Makes me think of Jurassic Park, Dr. Malcolm - "life will find a way". With all the places they've found microbes and bacteria to live on this planet and I'm sure off of it, I'd have a hard time believing that absolutely no beneficial bacteria can survive in a pH below 6.0 but I'm no expert.

 

[Iamtechno13]

So after more and more reading now I'm convinced that there are beneficial bacteria that will live and survive at a low pH as it is probably just a different type of bacteria. I can't say for sure but there are probably a number of different types of these nitrobacter, some being able to survive better in lower pH. My tank shows nitrates so obviously the nitrogen cyclen has run it's course and there is beneficial bacteria in there so...