Quick oh question.

[Jna_1991]

my ph levels out of the tap are 7.6ish. So when a couple tetras does I was surprised to see it at 8.4 or above on my chemical test kit. I check the 150, 30, and Betta 3 gallon. (None are over a month old very little Fish. Just learned about a fishless cycle or I wouldn’t have any)

All three tanks were above 8.2. At this point I feel it’s safe to say after aeration that is what my ph will be. So my question is should I put a bubble stone in a 5 gallon bucket and check after 24 hours or is the three tanks enough evidence. I already have a plan to deal with the ph in the non African tanks with 50% RO water is that good? What should I do to drop a bit in the African tank? Thanks in advance.

 

[Hendre]

You must test the Kh and Gh first, if it's high then RO is the way.

 

[duanes]

If you mean African rift lake tank (Tanganyka,Malawi etc) the African rift lakes pH average between 8 -9, so there is no need to try and drop it for them.
If you have west African dwarfs such as kribensus that are soft water species, then that is a different story.

 

[Jna_1991]

Thanks I am going to get a kh go kit fast as I can.

 

[Jna_1991]

Gh*

 

[Jna_1991]

Also I have one African peacock as the crystal blue maingano was being a bully. But I do plan to add other African fish or dithers that tolerate the ph. So the hard water is good.

 

[duanes]

Hard water is perfect for African peacock cichlids.

 

[Jna_1991]

Got the gh and kh. Gh took 38 drops. Tested my tap water and gave up after 25 as I assumed it was the same. Kh was 12 drops. I can run a ro mixture for my betas and teras. My question now is will my African rank be ok with that hard of water?

 

[duanes]

What kind of African cichlids?
Some come from water that is often called "liquid rock".
Your Gh and Kh are perfect for African rift lake cichlids.
But Africa is a giant continent with different kind of water in different places, the rift lakes in east Africa, are polar opposite of the soft water Amazon "like" swamps and streams of the west.
I have kept many rift lake Africans, and South American species in my hard water, but only those from west of the Andes, or southern South America worked for me, those from the soft, tannic waters of the Amazon did not, long term .

 

[Jna_1991]

Thanks I have one strawberry peacock and I plan to add mostly Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika