Ph levels and breeding trohps?

[myjohnson]

I was just wondering do any of the breeders here increase their pH levels? Around my area pH readings are at 8.2-8.3.  Should I increase the pH level? I was thinking about getting Seachem's Tanganyika Buffer or mixing some homemade products together to cut cost.

So what do you guys think?

[bethesdaboy]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I think your fine.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I thought you were not one to play water chemist......

[armthehomeless]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I would leave it be. They'll breed in the water you have.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I like to use some of the buffer/salts from time to time....there are lots of minerals and such that are normally found in the lake that I like to replenish for the sake of the fish. I don't buffer to the point where it raises the pH/GH/KH though.

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I agree.  Your pH is the same as ours.

But if you want some Seachem Tang Buffer to play with, I have some you can have.  It came with a tank we bought and we've never used it.

[J-WS6]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

water by my house is about 7.5 out of the tap. i add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda to bring it to about 8.3-8.4.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

From time to time I use a bit of Oceanic reef salts and usually epsom.

Tropic Marin puts out some good numbers though as far as reef salts but since I use Oceanic for my reef tank it's already there so I use it.

[myjohnson]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

Thanks for the advice guys....that's what I figured.   :emtthumbs:

[myjohnson]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

I thought you were not one to play water chemist......

You know I'm no chemist for sure....but you know I'm always open to new ideas.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

Well....open to new ideas ay.


Sure fooled me when we discussed the use of epsom salt with all the talk about people being on high horses and that fact that Texas tap water is the best thing that happened to Trophs.....

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

Now it all boils down to who's "high horse opinion" you are gonna take....  :wink:

Most don't use the buffers because...well it requires that you monitor the parameters and nobody wants to spend all their time figuring out how much to use and when to use....

I know that Geoff uses the buffers in his tanks......Luis uses it as well and on occasion I will use a similar form of buffer(Seachem, Tropic Marin and Homemade).

[myjohnson]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

lol. As it seems from everyone's advice.....Texas tap water might be the best thing to happen to trophs.  Except for leaving them in the lake that is.... :wink:

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

Not the best thing for them but IMO enough to sustain a healthy troph.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Ph levels and breeding trohps?

The tap in Pasadena Water supply is pH of 7.8 but it only has a KH value of 5dH.  In order to get and keep the pH above 8.0 between waterchanges, I buffer to 8.2 to 8.4 using a mixture of regular Baking Soda and Seachem Tang Buffer.

The fish do need some mineral content for developing, but I think as along as your above 10dh on KH, 8dH on GH, and above 7.5 your perfectly fine.

Start getting below 7.5 and it is not healthy for the fish in my opinion.

As for breeding, in all my tanks where I have a single variant, I have tons of fry.

I think that there is a huge difference in having the fish versus keeping the fish.  As Luis once said, if it is of benefit to them, you should do it.  The fish are in the lake 8.4 to 9.5, if you can afford the time to maintain that kind of water, I think you should.  It will be closer to the natural enviroment as possible.

Does it have to happen for their survival and breeding, no.  The fish are very robust and the cichlid family is highly adaptable.