Geting Ph Up, Also In Water Change

[fishwatcher]

How do I get the ph up in the water I use for water changes? I am trying to up the ph enough in the tank with the use of shells and tufa rock so I don't have to use any chemicals. Will I still need to use salt and/or buffer stuff? (This will be a multis shell-dweller tank.)
Thanks!

 

[jayjay]

leave the water in the bucket with some tufa rock or whatever your using in the tank, for a few days and then the pH will of been increased.....

 

[fishwatcher]

Ok, great. So I won't need to use salt or buffer then?

 

[jayjay]

well try it first, say you put the bucket of water somewhere today, test it's pH , then add the rocks then in a few days test the pH again just to make sure it's as high as you need it.

 

[Marshall]

A PH of 7.5 - 9.5 is fine for Tanganyikans so I wouldn't be too concerned with trying to raise it. If the water in your area is acidic then keepig African cichlids may well be tricky as they require religous water changes and mixing water every week can be tedious and things can go wrong.

 

[fishwatcher]

yeah, my ph is normally about 6.4-6.6, after it has set a while. Right out of the tap it's 7.0. I'm beginning to wonder if I really want to go there with fish...

 

[dutoits]

yeah, my ph is normally about 6.4-6.6, after it has set a while. Right out of the tap it's 7.0. I'm beginning to wonder if I really want to go there with fish...

Bicarb of soda old chap you can not over do it because the max it will rise is 8.4 quick and easy

 

[mamafish68]

a constant 7.5 is better then a fluctuating ph. period. so think about this before you go buy any fish, if your tap is a constant 7.0 you might want to look into kribs. rather then try and beat yourself up with measurments and the headache with buffering constantly.

just MHO

 

[fishwatcher]

I agree. After giving some long hard thought, and finding out that my lfs's supplier won't have any for at least a month, I've decided not to try multis right now. Maybe down the road a bit (when I can figure out a place for another tank! LOL).
Thanks for all the help, y'all! I'll post again when/if I decided to give them a try.

 

[mamafish68]

Good luck and come back anytime. You'll get the hang of it and then i'm sure we'll be seeing ya!