[Gordo33]

I've been planning to set up a 75 gallon Lake Tanganyika community tank. But am concerned that my water parameters are not appropriate. pH 7.4 - 7.6. kH 4 GH 9. From what I've read on this site chasing pH is not a good idea. From what I've been reading aragonite or crushed coral won't make much of a difference with raising the pH. Has anyone used crushed coral or aragonite in a fluidized filter to raise pH. I don't want to invest several hundred dollars in fish that wound not thrive or worse not survive. Are my concerns legit?

 

[DJRansome]

Are you using the high range pH test? Have you tried leaving the container of water on the counter for 24 hours and test again.

I do have crushed coral in my canister filters (water being pumped through the coral) and it does not raise pH for me.

 

[Gordo33]

Are you using the high range pH test? Have you tried leaving the container of water on the counter for 24 hours and test again.

I do have crushed coral in my canister filters (water being pumped through the coral) and it does not raise pH for me.

I tested the water with he regular pH which appears dark blue which is 7.6 on the chart and the high ph test is brown on the chart 7.4. The water is in a tank that has been running for some time. I also have a 125 gallon and the water tests the same. I let the water sit for 24 hrs and then use for water changes.

Any thoughts on my tanks KH and Gh

 

[DJRansome]

You want your KH to be a little higher.

Try testing the tap water after it sits on the counter for 24 hours.

It would not be the end of the world if you had to add a little baking soda.

 

[Gordo33]

You want your KH to be a little higher.

Try testing the tap water after it sits on the counter for 24 hours.

It would not be the end of the world if you had to add a little baking soda.

How much of a change should I shoot for with the baking soda ?
How important is finding a supplier with water parameters close to mine ?

 

[DJRansome]

You can acclimate the fish to the appropriate pH for the fish, I would not worry about the supplier. I find the best suppliers keep their Africans at a little higher pH than other fish that like a lower pH.

I would just nudge the KH so it is higher than 4 drops. My KH is 7 drops and I have no fluctuations. As little as possible. You are not shooting for specific numbers, just stability and KH is the key.

Example: My pH is 7.8. I bought fish from a supplier who kept them at 8. So I added baking soda to the quarantine tank to match the supplier, and then over the three weeks of quarantine the 50% weekly water changes moved the pH gradually to my tap water.

 

[ken31cay]

You are not shooting for specific numbers, just stability and KH is the key.

+1 what DJ said.

Since my tap water is basically r/o water (KH=0, GH=0) I do need to add alot to my water, and have worked out my specific buffer recipe which I add to all new water going into my tanks. But you should just need to lift your KH a little higher for stability reasons.

RE: fish suppliers: to be on the safe side I find out what water parameters the fish I ordered are being kept in; pH & GH:

1. pH: I make sure the water they go into at my house is the same as the supplier's. I assume the supplier has stable water (KH).
2. GH: I make sure mine is very close to the supplier's as a large change in osmotic pressure can shock & kill the fish as quick or quicker than different pH.

 

[Gordo33]

I would just nudge the KH so it is higher than 4 drops. My KH is 7 drops and I have no fluctuations. As little as possible. You are not shooting for specific numbers, just stability and KH is the key.

.

If my pH out of the tap and after 24 hours sitting in a cup is the same as my tank and my KH is only 4-5 do you still recommend bumping up the KH . Since the pH is stable

 

[Gordo33]

2. GH: I make sure mine is very close to the supplier's as a large change in osmotic pressure can shock & kill the fish as quick or quicker than different pH.

How to you raise GH ?
if I change the GH will that over time return to waterfall the tanks original water parameters are after a number of water changes

 

[ken31cay]

How to you raise GH?

Add epsom salts (magnesium chloride).

if I change the GH will that over time return to waterfall the tanks original water parameters are after a number of water changes

Yes since your tap water is different. If you add anything to your water, ex/ baking soda and/or epsom salts, then every time you do a water change you need to replace those things. I've worked out my buffer solution to be: per 20gal of tap water I add a cup epsom salts, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1/10 cup of Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt. So you would need to work out your recipe, see the below link.

https://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

 

[Gordo33]

Yes since your tap water is different. If you add anything to your water, ex/ baking soda and/or epsom salts, then every time you do a water change you need to replace those things. I've worked out my buffer solution to be: per 20gal of tap water I add a cup epsom salts, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1/10 cup of Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt. So you would need to work out your recipe, see the below link.

https://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

If I raise the GH to match the suppliers can I let that revert back to my tap water parameters over time with water changes without harming the fish?
Thanks for the link

 

[ken31cay]

I would just nudge the KH so it is higher than 4 drops. My KH is 7 drops and I have no fluctuations. As little as possible. You are not shooting for specific numbers, just stability and KH is the key.

.

If my pH out of the tap and after 24 hours sitting in a cup is the same as my tank and my KH is only 4-5 do you still recommend bumping up the KH . Since the pH is stable

If your pH is stable then you're good since that's what you're trying to achieve.

 

[ken31cay]

Yes since your tap water is different. If you add anything to your water, ex/ baking soda and/or epsom salts, then every time you do a water change you need to replace those things. I've worked out my buffer solution to be: per 20gal of tap water I add a cup epsom salts, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1/10 cup of Seachem Cichlid Lake Salt. So you would need to work out your recipe, see the below link.

https://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

If I raise the GH to match the suppliers can I let that revert back to my tap water parameters over time with water changes without harming the fish?
Thanks for the link

Yeah sure but you should do this gradually. Maybe 10% water changes every other day starting 2 days after the fish go in. I'd say after 2 weeks of this you can start your normal weekly water change routine.

 

[DJRansome]

I would not try to match GH at all.

If you nudge up KH and let pH and GH fall there they may, you will have stable parameters.

It's trying to get all 3 at particular values that seems impossible.

I have inherited a pool now and same issues but many more gallons.

 

[sir_keith]

There is no reason you can't keep Tanganyikans with the water you have. The easiest way to do this is to use an Aragonite substrate to buffer the water, SeaChem Tanganyika Buffer to bring the water up to an acceptable pH, and SeaChem Tanganyika salts to get the hardness parameters into an acceptable range. You can fuss with epsom salts and/or bicarbonate to try to get the balance right, but for my money it's worth spending a bit extra on products that eliminate most of the fuss. In the long run, the price of chemicals is only a fraction of the price of your fishes, even if you have a 1000+ gallon fish room. Good luck! :thumb:

 

[ken31cay]

If you nudge up KH and let pH and GH fall there they may, you will have stable parameters.
It's trying to get all 3 at particular values that seems impossible.(

Gordo, see above advice. What I do for my water is different than what you need to do. Sir_Keith also has good advice.