Tanganyikan Water

[ghent_3rd]

Going to be keeping some Multis very shortly, if my tap water is not quite hard enough what is the best way to sot it out??

Can you buy Tanganyikan trace to up the hardness and pH??

 

[stang1]

Using ocean/tufa rock should help buffer your PH slightly. Als worth putting some crushed coral in your filter if it is an external one.

 

[doresy]

As well as what Stang1 suggested I placed several of the large cluster barnicle type shells in my tanganyikan set up. I raised my ph from 7.2 (tap) to 8.

 

[stang1]

As well as what Stang1 suggested I placed several of the large cluster barnicle type shells in my tanganyikan set up. I raised my ph from 7.2 (tap) to 8.

Ooh, good thinking Batman!
I'd go with that suggestion too, Ghent.

 

[matchstickman47]

I like tanganyikan set ups i quite luck because london water is very hard and alkaline

 

[doresy]

As well as the hard water requirement, Tanganyikan's reqiure stability.

Lake Tanganyika is very, very deep therefore the temperature is extremely stable, as are the water peramiters. It is very important to bare this in mind when performing partial water changes. It is much better to do twice weekly 15% changes than one 30% a week. That way the temperature and PH levels stay more constant especially if your tap water is on the soft side. Tanganyikan Cichlids are less tolorent of nitrates than other fish (20ppm or less) and it goes without saying that nitrites/ammonia must be at zero too.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Are these the right barnacle shells??

Barnacles?

 

[ghent_3rd]

I read that aragonite will up the pH to a set-level before dissolving, is this correct??

Will these methods be OK for keeping Multis in??

 

[doresy]

Are these the right barnacle shells??

Barnacles?

Yup, they're the ones. My LFS sell them at £3 each whether it's one bit or a cluster of 3-4.

My spelling?? barnicle You are right of course, thanks for making me look ....

 

[ghent_3rd]

Sorry if I made you feel sheepish with my spelling corrections Doresy!!

 

[jumpman]

Echo of above comments, although I find that for Tangs stability is more important than exact Ph. A Ph of 7.5 for example is not a problem at all, as long as the fish have been used to it and waterchanges are the same.

 

[doresy]

Echo of above comments, although I find that for Tangs stability is more important than exact Ph. A Ph of 7.5 for example is not a problem at all, as long as the fish have been used to it and waterchanges are the same.

Good point No good getting your ph up to 8.2 only to have it drop to 7 or such every time you water change.

That's why 2 x 10% water changes a week are better than, say, 1 x 20% a week

 

[jumpman]

Good point No good getting your ph up to 8.2 only to have it drop to 7 or such every time you water change.

That's why 2 x 10% water changes a week are better than, say, 1 x 20% a week

Agreed, I prefer to acclimatise fish to my tap water on introduction, rather than spending money and time trying to change the harder than hard London tap water.

Most fish (apart from specialist such as Discus etc) will have been acclimatised to hard water before you buy them anyway.

I tried a tang/malawi buffer from Kent a few times before it was discontinued and it made no difference after I stopped using it to behaviour, colour or breeding.