Driftwood can lower both your PH and Hardiness which are both bad in African Cichlid setups. However this does not happen all the time so if you really like the look of the driftwood monitor your levels and if they don't drop you should be OK. If they do drop you may need to increase your water change frequency or remove the driftwood.
HELP!!! WATER PARAMETERS FOR AFRICAN CICHLIDS??
- Thread starter bermudezaa
- Start date
Excellent. Thanks for the tips. I'll keep an eye on them.
As a matter of fact, I just did the test and here are the results.
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 300 (high)
Hardness between 150 and 300 (hard and very hard)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 0 and 20 ("safe" range)
I will be performing a water change tomorrow, which should help with the little nitrate present in the water.
In terms of the water change, I have two products which I am thinking about using.
"Instant Ocean" Natural Nitrate Reducer. Is this safe for freshwater? It doesnt say anywhere on the bottle or website if it is. Should I use it if it is?
"Seachem" Cichlid Lake Salt. Should I add this product?
Once again, I thank all of your for your help.
As a matter of fact, I just did the test and here are the results.
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 300 (high)
Hardness between 150 and 300 (hard and very hard)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 0 and 20 ("safe" range)
I will be performing a water change tomorrow, which should help with the little nitrate present in the water.
In terms of the water change, I have two products which I am thinking about using.
"Instant Ocean" Natural Nitrate Reducer. Is this safe for freshwater? It doesnt say anywhere on the bottle or website if it is. Should I use it if it is?
"Seachem" Cichlid Lake Salt. Should I add this product?
Once again, I thank all of your for your help.
Mopani wood is African, but it isn't found in the waters of the rift lakes, so it will lower pH slighty, as all wood does. Your pH and hardness are perfect just the way they are. The nitrate reducer will be safe for freshwater, but weekly water changes should bring any nitrate problems down just fine. It sounds like you have a perfect tank for them.
Your tank sounds fine. Honestly I dont think you need to add anything for the nitrate in your tank as the water change should reduce it. If you keep up on water changes then the nitrate shouldnt be a problem at all. If you really feel you need to, you can give it a try but I am pretty sure instant oceans products are only for saltwater, I would look into a product you know is meant for freshwater. I personally try to avoid adding anything to my tank though unless I really need to or I know it won't cause to much fluctuation in my water parameters. I think your water is fine.
Thank you all again.
I did a 25% water change yesterday and the readings were "perfect" during this morning's test results.
I also took out the mopani wood, just to be on the safe side and added more slate rocks. I created a little cave structure in the back. I think it looks pretty cool.
Here are the before and after pics...
The one with the blue lighting is from Saturday night, the one with the caves is from this morning.
I did a 25% water change yesterday and the readings were "perfect" during this morning's test results.
I also took out the mopani wood, just to be on the safe side and added more slate rocks. I created a little cave structure in the back. I think it looks pretty cool.
Here are the before and after pics...
The one with the blue lighting is from Saturday night, the one with the caves is from this morning.
Bermudezza,
I have read threw your posts and am surprised that you are not having an aggression problem with your cichlids because of your water temperature. Cichlids usually enjoy water in the mid to high 70s. Unless you are breeding them which it is understandable to have the water at little warmer at that time.
What are your ammonia and nitrate levels?
I have read threw your posts and am surprised that you are not having an aggression problem with your cichlids because of your water temperature. Cichlids usually enjoy water in the mid to high 70s. Unless you are breeding them which it is understandable to have the water at little warmer at that time.
What are your ammonia and nitrate levels?
Thank you very much gentlemen. I did not know that.
I haven't had serious aggression problems because I have a ton of caves and hiding places. Most of them get along just fine with the exception of my one-eyed (I got him like that from the farm) blue zebra, who is extremely possesive of "his" rock but only chases off others in that area.
He also digs non-stop. Is this his nature or do you think this is due to the hot temp?
Also, the temperature is like that because of the lighting. I leave the canopy open during the day (when the A/C in my room is not bumping and the "daylight" lamps are on) and then I leave the canopy half open in the evening (when the acticnit lights are on, the A/C starts and my room is at between 68 and 70 degrees) and then I close the canopy throughout the night when my room is at 65 degrees and only the LEDs are on.
Do you have any suggestions as to how I can better control my temperature? I had a thermometer but it is pointless to put it in the mid 70s as during the day when the lights are on, the water temp gets heated to around 80 degrees.
Any thoughts as to the high alkalinity in the water?
I haven't had serious aggression problems because I have a ton of caves and hiding places. Most of them get along just fine with the exception of my one-eyed (I got him like that from the farm) blue zebra, who is extremely possesive of "his" rock but only chases off others in that area.
He also digs non-stop. Is this his nature or do you think this is due to the hot temp?
Also, the temperature is like that because of the lighting. I leave the canopy open during the day (when the A/C in my room is not bumping and the "daylight" lamps are on) and then I leave the canopy half open in the evening (when the acticnit lights are on, the A/C starts and my room is at between 68 and 70 degrees) and then I close the canopy throughout the night when my room is at 65 degrees and only the LEDs are on.
Do you have any suggestions as to how I can better control my temperature? I had a thermometer but it is pointless to put it in the mid 70s as during the day when the lights are on, the water temp gets heated to around 80 degrees.
Any thoughts as to the high alkalinity in the water?
