Cichlid tank=Ph+salt ??

[melissa1977]

I ve just set up a new 10 g cichlid tank.

I have one Lamprologus multifaciatus... Planning on getting 2 more !

Aquaclear mini filter/tronic 50 W heater/crushed coral "sand"/couple of sagittaria plants/empty snail shell/and rocks

My parameters are;
26 celsius
0 ammonia
0 Nitrite
5 ppm nitrate
Gh 29
Ph 7.5

I know that my little guy needs a higher PH. I am hoping that the tank will eventually balance out by itself since I have used crushed coral sand as substrate.... Or would it ?

And I wanted to know if the "african cichlid salt mix" is a good thing. Would people use a "ph buffer" if they are using the african cichlid mix already ? Dosen't that cichlid mix buffer the water already ?
As you can see I an kind of confuse and in need of help ...

Should I use cichlid salt mix ?? Would that be beneficial to my fishes ?

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I wouldn't bother with anything that'll affect your water's pH: a steady 7.5 is perfectly fine for multis. You can use the salt if you want to, but it probably won't add much more to the carbonate hardness than the crushed coral substrate will.

Steady water parameters and high water quality are the two most important factors in keeping your multis healthy.

 

[peterp]

I tried using the salt to start with, but did not see any improvements in my 120gal Malawi tank. So I gave up on it, the crushed coral will dissolve and increase hardness over time. I am using a mix(fish mixed it , started off with 1/2 tank bottom covered with crushed coral the other half with silica sand). I think your Lamprologus would prefer a fine sand bottom they really like to dig in and rearrange things.

Your nitrates are showing ( 5 ppm nitrate) so I'd say your tank was still in its cycling process. I would not add any new fish till ammonia/nitrate/nitrite/ were all zeroed out.

 

[poppab02]

Having steady parameters is more important than having perfect parameters. I think you're fine with what you have.
I've used something like that salt mix and it really doesn't do much at all. I wouldn't mess with it. Just keep everything stable and keep your water quality high.

 

[melissa1977]

Thank you guys !


peterp; aren't nitrate always present in the water no matter if your tank is cycled or not...? Is nitrate a final product of cycling ? I was under the impression that nitrate is always there except if plants uses it... and that the only way to get it out is to do a water change ?!

 

[Menagerie]

Is nitrate a final product of cycling ?

Your tank is cycled Most fish can tolerate up to 40 ppm nitrate. With regular PWC, the nitrates will stay just fine.
I also have a 10 gal multi tank, the pH is around 7.6, they breed and eat well. Don't worry about buffer or cichlid salts

 

[peterp]

Yes you are right Nitrates would build up over time unless used by something, or manually removed.
I guess since I do at least 1/3 water change every week, about 40gal in my case I have not been able to measure them.

BTW: the only fish I have ever been really bitten by was a Lamprologus Ocelatus<sp?> I got too close to his shell and the little guy came flying out and attached himself to my finger.