PH question for African

[fishyd]

I'm planning on switching my tank to a peacock and hap tank soon and am curious about one thing.

I know that they prefer a higher pH of around 8, my tap water is 7-7.2. I am planning on putting in some cichlid sand and Texas holey rock. Will water changes affect the fish at all when I do a water change and add water? I don't want to add chemicals to raise the pH.

Or is it better to have an inert substrate/hard scape and maintain the tap pH? Keeping it stable.

Any advice and thoughts are appreciated.

 

[xwing]

You still need a ph buffer both the substrate and the holly rock keep the ph at high 7s but it's over time and a buffer works over night

 

[CichlidLady0312]

Arogonite also helps w maintaining a high PH.



Sent from my SPH-L720 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[FrankoQ]

My tap water is at about 7.4, so I put bags of crushed coral in my canister filter.
It took a couple of weeks, but PH went up to 8.0.
During water changes, I don't do anything to raise the PH. it goes up by itself in a couple of days. When I get a big PH drop (canister filter maintenance), I use the malawi buffer to quickly get the PH to 8.0

 

[fishyd]

So if I put a buffer in (Texas holey rock), is the slight drop in pH acceptable during water changes? I tend to do about 30-35%. Or is it better to have a steady pH of 7?

 

[xwing]

For Africans it's recommended above 7.8 I personally keep mine at 8.2 Texas holy rock and crushed coral all keep it the high 7s but your tap water also moves around sometimes my tap comes out at 7.2 or 7.4 or even 6.8. I use a Malawi buffer myself I buffer every wc so that if i have any drop at all in ph it's minimum.

 

[xwing]

The buffer has instructions on how much to add depends how much gallons are in your wc for example if you change out 50g buffer for 50g

 

[fishyfriends3]

If you can let your partial water change water sit for 24 hours to de-gas the ph will raise a bit mine is 7.5 straight out of the tap but 7.8 after 24 hours.

 

[fishyfriends3]

By pre-storing and buffering your water correctly you will save on the amount of buffers you need to raise the pH to the correct levels and also give your African cichlids the best possible conditions to thrive in.

 

[fishyd]

My pH stays at 7. Tried that last week, checked water after one day and two days.

I want to be able to do this without chemicals if possible. I am very forgetful (even forget prime now and then after 4+ years)

 

[fishyfriends3]

Can you leave yourself a big memo note on your tank cabinet/stand. 'Don't forget to buffer'

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app