Hello! New here, question about PH & Limestone

[Sicy]

Hi there, just found this forum. I have 2 small African Cichlids in a 5.5 gallon tank which have lived very happily for over a year now. Lately as I checked my levels I noticed my ph is wayyy down, like in the 6.4 range. I know that Cichlids need a high ph so I heard about adding a limestone rock to my tank. I currently have one on order and am just wondering if they really work? Or is there something else I can do. I was told not to add PH up (chemicals) because they change the balance too quickly (though I did use some before I was told not to and nothing has changed) so is there something else I can do or will adding the Limestone rock help with that? My other levels are fine except for Nitrates, have always been high no matter what I do, water changes, adding plants etc.

Here are my fish

Larry

and Yellow Bastard

 

[The-Wolf]

Limestone is a very heavy rock and will raise the pH. Limestone rocks are sedimentary rocks that are made from the mineral calcite which came from the beds of evaporated seas and lakes and from sea animal shells.

I wouldn't use in a normal f/w tank but for your needs then they are fine.

 

[Sicy]

Thanks for the reply. Why wouldnt you use them in a freshwater tank? It's a small rock, less than 6 inches so I hope its not too heavy that it will crack the glass or anything like that.

I just dont know how else to get my ph up.

 

[The-Wolf]

Sorry I seem to have made myself unclear.
I would not use limestone in a normal tropical tank,
I would however use it for the set up you have due to
nature of chiclids needing a higher ph.
Is that clearer? I'm not that good at getting things
from my head to the keyboard.

 

[The_Priest]

hey hey i can help with this!! ive just set up a big malawi tank and i had problems with my Ph the best thing i can reccomend from my very limited experience is to use sea shells, either put a few mediem shells in there or put a few smaller shells in a net bag and hide them behind rocks, they contain high amounts of calcium carbonate which will leach out of them highering your PH, it really works well and its alot lighter than putting lump of limestone in. I have a big sea shell in mine and a persil mesh bag with a lots of different sea shells in them and even after water changes within a few hours the ph is 8.2 mid you my tap water is 7.6 so i guess im lucky, you will have have to change yoru shells every 2 years or so because eventually the calcium carbonate runs out but this takes ages.
Hope this was of help to you it was to me.

 

[Sicy]

Thanks The-Wolf.. I swear your name was different earlier?? *twilight zone*

And thank you Priest, where can I get sea shells?



My tap ph is like 6.4.. horrible.

 

[gixer]

Thanks The-Wolf.. I swear your name was different earlier?? *twilight zone*

And thank you Priest, where can I get sea shells?



My tap ph is like 6.4.. horrible.

the sea maybe...just a guess

sorry in a funny mood...

 

[Sicy]

You mean like regular old beach sea shells? Eh.. I am not near a sea.

 

[Sicy]

BTW Yellow Bastard always turns from yellow to brown, back to yellow again etc. Does that mean he's stressed/pissed of or what?

 

[Sicy]

Are these shells the right kind?

http/cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[The-Wolf]

yes those are the kind of sea shells

yes my name has changed

 

[k007030]

Hi

My LFS recommends putting crushed sea shells in your filter. They say it acts as a pH buffer (at around 7pH). I'm not sure if the pH goes higher the more you use though?

Mark

 

[gixer]

Hi

My LFS recommends putting crushed sea shells in your filter. They say it acts as a pH buffer (at around 7pH). I'm not sure if the pH goes higher the more you use though?

Mark

it all depends what your ph is currently..more importantly your kh.

its nonsense to believe adding sea shells will maintain a ph of 7

 

[Sicy]

I will be adding sea shells along with a small limestone rock. Perhaps that would do the trick?

 

[Sicy]

Hi, I just got my limestone rock, its about 4lbs. Is that going to be too heavy for a 5.5 gallon tank? Please advise, thanks!