Brackish Question

Vitaliy

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I am thinking of setting up a brackish water tank and getting some calvus. I was just wondering are there any other ways to get brackish water without crushed coral? And if crushed coral is the only way, how long does it keep up the PH before you need to replace it?
 

Jesse

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FYI, Altolamprologus calvus is not a brackish water fish but a Tanganyikan cichlid. While both brackish and rift lake environments have hard alkaline water, brackish environments are much more saline. Crushed coral is typically used as a substrate for both rift lake and brackish aquaria to help buffer pH and keep it alkaline. However, crushed coral does not make the water brackish, sea salt does. If you use crushed coral as your substrate, as opposed to merely putting a small bag in your tank or filter, there's usually no need to change it periodically in light of its substantial buffering capacity.
 

Vitaliy

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icthyophile said:
FYI, Altolamprologus calvus is not a brackish water fish but a Tanganyikan cichlid. While both brackish and rift lake environments have hard alkaline water, brackish environments are much more saline. Crushed coral is typically used as a substrate for both rift lake and brackish aquaria to help buffer pH and keep it alkaline. However, crushed coral does not make the water brackish, sea salt does. If you use crushed coral as your substrate, as opposed to merely putting a small bag in your tank or filter, there's usually no need to change it periodically in light of its substantial buffering capacity.
Yeah, someone just told me they are not brackish! Easier for me!
So if you use crushed coral as substrate I do not need to replace it? :grinyes:

And do you know who else I can mix with them in a 55?
 

Jesse

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Other small/medium sized Tanganyikan cichlids should work, such as Julidochromis or Neolamprologus species. Also, I often see A. calvus kept with the closely related species A. compressiceps.
 

piranha45

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tetras, barbs, gouramies... most any small/mid-sized aquarium fish should work. Maybe keep away from neons and cardinals and glowlights though.
 

lil_lara

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I don't know many scientific names, I sell to simpletons, so its easier for me just to know the common names :) I know i'm a traitor! But sea salt and more freshwater salt make a good brackish water mix.
 
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