So I'm planning on starting up a 'Malawi' Tank. I have been perusing the market for the appropriate buffer's and additives. Anyone have experience with using marine salts at the '1 tsp/5gal' ratio that is spoken about in so many forums around the net? Upon examination of the plethora of available product and the salt I currently use in my marine tank I've noticed that Calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, borate, potassium, sodium, cobalt, iron, manganese and zinc are all common elements found in both products. With exception to strontium, anything else found in the marine salt mix is such a small qty, especially at the fraction that it would be mixed for a cichlid tank, that they should nearly be undetectable. If it's possible I figured since I have to buy marine salt anyways why buy extra product if I don't have to. This small amount should be enough to keep my KH, GH and PH levels where they need to be. As well because of me already having a marine tank, the substrate is crushed coral/argonite.
'Aquarium Salts'
- Thread starter Windsorguy77
- Start date
Depending on the pH and buffering capacity of your water, you may not even need to add anything to your water. Many hobbyists don't waste money on expensive salts. Baking soda and epsom salts are often used to adjust the water. Instead of using marine salt, kosher or solar salt can be used. With crushed coral or aragonite being used for substrate, nothing much will have to be added to the water to keep african cichlids.
Joe jaskot is correct. Unless you are going to be getting wild caught fish (which are persnickety) then you just need to have pH higher than 7.4 and use some crushed coral/aragonite or texas holey rock to increase buffer. These will also usually increase your pH a bit. If your pH is above 7.4 than I would not mess with it because you set yourself up for a pH crash which is usually lethal to everything in the tank. Also it can become a huge headache whenever you do water changes.
My tap water is about 7.6, but I have texas holey rock and after about a month the pH increased to 8.0-8.2 and my buffering capacity has increased quite a bit as well.
My tap water is about 7.6, but I have texas holey rock and after about a month the pH increased to 8.0-8.2 and my buffering capacity has increased quite a bit as well.
I should probably explain myself better. So my source water for aquarium life is R/O water. PH 8, GH almost 0, KH 0, 2-4TDS. My tap water is water softened which results in a low mineral content but a high sodium content which is why I use the R/O. Not to mention I already had use of RO/DI for my reef tank. Is baking soda and Epsom salt really going to properly remineralize the water to make it suitable for African life? If I had your standard 'city' water I would agree with the above, just add conditioner and go, but that's unfortunately that's not the case.
The rift lakes, despite the hype from Seachem, have very little salt (sodium chloride) in them. You'll save money if you use epsom salt and baking soda like someone already mentioned. In your case your Ph is already OK if it's 8, so no need for baking soda, just use epsom salt to buffer. Trace minerals are no doubt important with corals, but not so much with fish. They'll get their minerals from the food you are feeding them.
I think the reason it's hard to let that idea go is a lot of slick marketing over the years, but fish don't read the ads in our fish magazines, so they won't know the difference
I think the reason it's hard to let that idea go is a lot of slick marketing over the years, but fish don't read the ads in our fish magazines, so they won't know the difference
if you can use crushed coral for some substrate. same buffering effect but lasts years instead of days. it's often solds in packs costing about 20 bucks suitable for a 20 gallon tank. Also acts as biological filtration
my water stinks and i have to add 1 tablespoon of epsom salt/5gallons 1 teaspoon of NON-iodized salt aka kosher salt/ 5 gallons and 1 teaspoon of baking soda/ 5 gallons.. i also cant get my water to stay over 7.8 for anymore than a day or 2 so i just leave it at 7.8 and the fish are happy
the key is a stable ph if it is fluctuating this is not good
its better to keep it slightly low than all over the place
as others have said use cc for a substrate or use lime stone for rocks/habitat
these things will help keep it stable but i do also use Baking soda and epsom salts with water changes to bring the new water up to my tanks ph
its better to keep it slightly low than all over the place
as others have said use cc for a substrate or use lime stone for rocks/habitat
these things will help keep it stable but i do also use Baking soda and epsom salts with water changes to bring the new water up to my tanks ph