Cichla Water Parameters

[jtalley]

After trying to research this I found so many different views and ranges (and a lot of sites I would not trust over MFK members). So...

What is your pH? kH? Do you even test?
How do you achieve and maintain those values? Tap values, RO, additives, driftwood, peat, something else etc.

My tap water has a pH of 7.6 and a kH of 7-9, trying to decide if this is too high for wild caught pieces and if so what is the best way to soften the water and lower the pH.

 

[HULON]

After trying to research this I found so many different views and ranges (and a lot of sites I would not trust over MFK members). So...

What is your pH? kH? Do you even test?
How do you achieve and maintain those values? Tap values, RO, additives, driftwood, peat, something else etc.

My tap water has a pH of 7.6 and a kH of 7-9, trying to decide if this is too high for wild caught pieces and if so what is the best way to soften the water and lower the pH.

your best bet on water is consistancy OMO and ya you will get all kinds of different answers for sure I use boggwood and alot of it and that's it also i am a user of salt but that is more and highly debatable if it does anything other then that leave it alone .Hear is a pic of my p's raised from fry don't get me wrong i have had my losses as does everybody..Want to add all are wild caught and my water is about the same as yours....

 

[jtalley]

Thanks Hulon, appreciate your input.

Anyone else?

 

[Sandman334]

Nope, no other input. Consistency is key. PH shock is (I think) the most common death for cichla. Cichla (IMO) is really sensitive to PH fluxuation.

 

[gangster]

Just as hulon stated....consitency. I too would just add a bunch of wood and let it be. Adding chems will just bounce it all over.
Water quality is key. How often are you doing wc's w/ all the orino's in the growout?

 

[jtalley]

Thanks, I am trying to keep quality up with a lot of water changes. Not a lot of room for any more wood in the growout, but definitely when they go to the big tank there will be.

Right now, water changes have been every 3 days, 40-50%. Aiming to keep nitrates below 40, tap value is already 10-20 ppm.

 

[gangster]

sounds as if your doing it all right....just keep at it.

And you have the temp at 88 and heavily airated right? Thought i read that.

HOw are they eating now?

 

[jtalley]

sounds as if your doing it all right....just keep at it.

And you have the temp at 88 and heavily airated right? Thought i read that.

HOw are they eating now?

Yes, temp at 88-89, heavily airated by one full speed FX5 outlet that moves the entire water surface.

They are loving their bloodworms. Speaking of food, you have mentioned crushing pellets and slowly adding in with other food to transition them. Is the crushing mostly for size? I have a bucket of NLS 2 mm pellets that I am thinking about using. They should be able to fit those no problem I would think.

 

[gangster]

For size and it helps them blend into the blood worms w/out them noticing them so much. When my orino were tiny i fed them by spoon. THey would come up and hammer the food off the spoon. THis allowed me to monitor the pellet intake much easier. And now they are a healthy 12-16+" and loving their pellets.