Substrate

[zackcrack00]

Hey guys and gals!
I have crushed-coral as my substrate in my 75gal Mbuna tank. I want to make it sand, but that would mess up the ph. I am running two AC110s on the tank... could I put some crushed coral in some pantyhose to use in a filter insert in the filters? Then, I could take of about 1.5-2" of CC and replace it with sand. I currently have 6 juvenile Met. Msobo Magunga, 5 juvenile Pseudo. Acei and 3 adult Ancistrus Ancistrus Catfish. I used to do 75% WC twice a week, but now I do 50% once a week, until the fish start breeding and growing a bit, then increase WC.

 

[Jmoore]

Just get ph buffer


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[daninmd]

replace with sand, don't worry about the pH. what is your tap pH? around 7.5 or so? not a huge difference between 7.5 and 8.3. fish will be fine and still breed like crazy. if you are really worried about it, add baking soda to the water, which will take the pH up to 8.3. for me, I would rather just use tap water and keep it simple.

 

[Localzoo]

replace with sand, don't worry about the pH. what is your tap pH? around 7.5 or so? not a huge difference between 7.5 and 8.3. fish will be fine and still breed like crazy. if you are really worried about it, add baking soda to the water, which will take the pH up to 8.3. for me, I would rather just use tap water and keep it simple.

I have a few mbuna as well and realized stability is more important than trying to get the ph correct and having it fluctuate. most tanks will usually balance them selves out (stabilize themselves) but not always where we want

You can also mix in the sand and a little crushed coral


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[daninmd]

most tanks will usually balance them selves out (stabilize themselves) but not always where we want

i think 'we' worry more about pH than the fish. we arent talking about a huge change typically. tank raised africans will be fine on tap water with no pH adjustments. if we were talking wild caught fish that changes the subject. i have never had to change by pH on my tanks and my africans have always thrived. i have had tap water pH anywhere from 6.8 to 8.3 and fish could care less. never stopped breeding like crazy . and if they are breeding they are happy

 

[Tony]

I have crushed coral in several of my tanks mixed in with the sand. Honnestly though, the only rift lake fish that I would go out of my way to buffer the water for is some of the more "fancy" Tangs. Cyps, featherfins, sandsifters, etc.

If you are determined to do so, either like you said, put some crushed coral in the canister or use a DIY method. Cichlid forum has a standard recipe - I believe that for every 5 gallons, it's 1 TBS epsom salt, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp marine salt.

Off-the-shelf products are a waste of money imo.

 

[hollyfish2000]

I use tap water in my two African tanks. One is sand, the other has a little crushed coral mixed in. Both have lace rock, though. I never measure the pH and neither do the fish! :lol: