Considering Setting Up

[calsonic]

im considering setting up my tank for african chiclids and a common plec as i feel that my soft water setup will be too much of a bind to keep running if i get made redundent but i am consernd about my water perameters from the tap is this suitable

Authority Anglian Water
Zone Ipswich South
County Suffolk
pH pH 7.17 on average
Ammonium 0.008 mg/l on average
Nitrite 0.003 mg/l on average
Nitrate 36.66 mg/l on average
Calcium 155 mg/l
Disinfectant Chloramine
Free chlorine 0.18 mg/l
Total chlorine 0.278 mg/l
Chloramine 0.1 mg/l
Lead 1.69 µg/l
Fluoride 0.299 mg/l on average

 

[Colin_T]

It’s odd that you have chloramine in UK water. Make sure you use a dechlorinator that is for chloramine and not just chlorine. You should also try to grow some plants in the tank to use up the nitrates, or use a reverse osmosis (R/O) unit to get rid of them.

Although 36ppm (mg/l) isn't really high for nitrates, it isn't the best place to start because it means any nitrates that build up in the tank will simply push the level up higher. You can compensate for this by doing regular water changes or keeping some plants in the tank. You could also set up a refugium or sump on the tank and grow plants in that.

Overall your water is probably fine for Lake Malawi cichlids but I would use a rift lake conditioner for Tanganyikans, unless they are locally bred fishes.

 

[calsonic]

with my current set up i do a 100 litre water change with ro but i want to try and reduce my running costs just in case i get made redundent i could always add a buffer to the water like i do a t the moment right?

 

[Colin_T]

You can always add buffers to the water and if you are using R/O water then it is a good idea to buffer the general & carbonate hardness to prevent the PH dropping too much or too quickly.

If you are trying to reduce the use of the R/O unit then I would set up a refugium/ sump and grow plants in that. Have that connected to the main display tank and that will suck up the nitrates. Also if you set up the tank with one or two species of cichlids, they should breed and you can use the money from them to maintain the tank (ie: buying fish food and conditioner/buffers). You can do the same with plants and sell or exchange the excess or surplus stock to the shops.

 

[kj23502]

From everything I've read, Nitrate isn't that much of a deal unless it gets over 40ppm. Most people try to keep it under that. That will be hard to do w/a mbuna tank as they are overstocked for aggression. To use enough nitrate, I'd believe the tank would have to be pretty decently planted. Not just a few plants. I'd continue to use your r/o. Do you flush it every time? Membranes last a lot longer if they are flushed after use. You could top off the tank w/city water and only do water changes with the r/o water. That will cut down a little too.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

It’s odd that you have chloramine in UK water. Make sure you use a dechlorinator that is for chloramine and not just chlorine. You should also try to grow some plants in the tank to use up the nitrates, or use a reverse osmosis (R/O) unit to get rid of them.

Although 36ppm (mg/l) isn't really high for nitrates, it isn't the best place to start because it means any nitrates that build up in the tank will simply push the level up higher. You can compensate for this by doing regular water changes or keeping some plants in the tank. You could also set up a refugium or sump on the tank and grow plants in that.

Overall your water is probably fine for Lake Malawi cichlids but I would use a rift lake conditioner for Tanganyikans, unless they are locally bred fishes.

yes mate up were i stay its full of chloramine and phosphate used alot as well

 

[calsonic]

i was trying to find a set up were i wouldnt need ro to keep the fish and breed them however by the sounds of it there is no benefit switching over i dont use my own ro unit my parrents wont let me buy one due to the ammount of water they waste so i have to buy it

 

[kj23502]

I thought you meant you had an R/O unit. sorry

You can use tap water. Just keep up on your water changes is all. Since you'll be buying tank bred specimens (more than likely) then nitrates aren't as big of a deal. It'd be a huge deal if you were getting wc fish. As said earlier, make sure you use a declorinator that takes care of chloramine as well.