I've read a few threads regarding the use of baking soda for a water buffer. I have 3 tanks with a mixture of CA/SA cichlids, and I am wanting to finally bring them home (I have them at my girlfriends apartment-Did I mention shes real understanding?) and the water quality here at my place is ridiculous, long story short, I bought a Kent Maxxima RO system and need to harden the water and raise the pH. Any other suggestions for commercial buffers or just tips on using baking soda?
Buffers For CA/SA
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One thing I forgot to mention is that I have made some water already in a 55 gallon drum barrel, and I treated it with some Kent R/O Right to replenish the water with some trace elements and minerals, and now I was thinking about adding the Kent Cichlid Buffer, and simply underdose it to get my desired results as far as alkalinity and pH. Will that work?
Whats the water quality like? You normally shouldn't have to go through all that trouble for CA/SA Cichlids. Whats the PH? You should also be able to use Prime to remove any unwanted metals and so forth.
I was experiencing huge drops in my ph, right down to 4. I added a handfull of crushed coral to each external filter and its buffered it right up to bang on 7.0.
wait how low is the pH? I mean most of these guys want something between 6.5-7.5.
African cichlids now they need harder water.
I think theres something called equilibrium that works for putting the trace back in the water, but putting soem tapwater back into it will have the same affect as well.
African cichlids now they need harder water.
I think theres something called equilibrium that works for putting the trace back in the water, but putting soem tapwater back into it will have the same affect as well.
Well I the reason being why I want to buffer the water is because I want to replicate the water at my girlfriends house. The water over there reads at steady pH of 7.6 and water hardness at 8dkh. The water out of my tap is all fine except for it is filled with nitrates, up at 40ppm! I purchased the RO system and the water coming out of there reads a pH of 6 and the water hardness is somewhere around 0-1 dkh.
Never been into buffering water other than adding drift wood to lower or crushed coral to higher ph. I've always belived that fish will adapt to a ph of lower or higer than there natural ph. Also a steady ph is better IMO than one that is altered everytime you do a water change. Just my two cents worth but i've never had any probs and i keep african and american cichlids (not in the same tanks).
Steve
Steve
I don't plan on changing the pH every time i do a water change. Thats why I have a few 55 gallon drums that I will quarantine and treat the water until safe for a water change. I just want to get a formula down so I can consistently make the same water every time.
Peat moss,lots of it in the filter or if tank is big enough,hang bags of it into the tank.Replace every month or two.Some say it exausts,some say it dosen't.......read further on the properties of peat moss though.