Filled my tank with RO water. Oops

[ptran]

That pH meter is very cool. pH of 7.0 if kind of low IME. African cichlids would do better in higher pH.

If you want to raise the pH, it is recommended to use aragonite sand and holey rocks. You can also add the home made cichlid buffer (baking soda + table salt + epsom salt) after water change to help raise pH.

[ptran]

You'll be fine with a tap of 7 with any Malawi cichlid you want to keep. I would recommend going straight Mbuna or straight Haplochromine if possible

For 90 gallon tank, I would go with Mbuna because Haps can gain some good size. An adult Haps would fair somewhere between 7-9".

[Austy16414]

For 90 gallon tank, I would go with Mbuna because Haps can gain some good size. An adult Haps would fair somewhere between 7-9".

I agree on this one, unless you buy small and move them once they outgrow the tank, but you won't get as much color with smaller fish. If you do go with mbuna, you might have to adjust your scape to have more hiding places and territories

[Smithder]

I agree on this one, unless you buy small and move them once they outgrow the tank, but you won't get as much color with smaller fish. If you do go with mbuna, you might have to adjust your scape to have more hiding places and territories

How long would it take smaller haps and labs to get too large for a 90. I could trade them as they grow too big I guess. How difficult is it to keep the peace with Mbuna?

[Austy16414]

How long would it take smaller haps and labs to get too large for a 90. I could trade them as they grow too big I guess. How difficult is it to keep the peace with Mbuna?

There's a lot that plays into the growth rate of fish and it also depends on how many you have, but I'd say at the very least a year.

It's not difficult to keep the peace with Mbuna if you plan ahead. Just give them plenty of territorial spots, some water current, and try not to get a group that's too male-heavy

[ptran]

Please tell me more about this recommendation. I was staying away from mbuna because I was told there aggressiveness could limit what I can keep.

So far I'm a fan of the electric blue haps, yellow labs, and some of the bright colored peacocks. Don't know the names of those yet.

This site can give you a starting point to read about what fish you like:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/african_cichlid_genus_gallery.php

[ptran]

How long would it take smaller haps and labs to get too large for a 90. I could trade them as they grow too big I guess. How difficult is it to keep the peace with Mbuna?

I bought some juvies from LFS at 3". It takes about a year for them to reach 7" but I fed them really well.

[Smithder]

Update

Complete drain and refill

Ph 7.39

[Austy16414]

Now we're talkin!


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[Smithder]

Much better!

Thanks for everyone's help!! So glad I fond this site. I'm sure I'll have more questions coming your way!

[ptran]

To be honest, I never check pH coming out of tab before. Now I'm curious about my water here in Richmond. LOL

[morpheus]

Much better!

Thanks for everyone's help!! So glad I fond this site. I'm sure I'll have more questions coming your way!

Everyone on here is always glad to help in any way they can. You can find a thread on almost anything, or just start new ones :)

[morpheus]

How long would it take smaller haps and labs to get too large for a 90. I could trade them as they grow too big I guess. How difficult is it to keep the peace with Mbuna?

agree with austy here in that if your setup is adequate (decor, current, gender, etc), mbuna are more manageable. i have a 75gal, and since mbuna stay smaller (5 inch or so avg), thats the route i went. about a year is a good estimate with regular feeding.

my tank recently went into some chaos after a long period of calm, and after doing the things austy mentioned, everything is back to normal. mbuna will always chase eachother staking out areas of the tank.

labs i find to be the more docile (relatively speaking), and they breed readily. i have a few labs in my tank, and a crap ton of yellow lab fry to show for it if you are interested haha

[funk74]

One other thing to consider for your tank is that with mbuna's both the male and females have good color and with peacocks, only the males color up and the females are usually just brownish/silverish. So if you want a colorful tank you'd want to keep a all male tank with different types of peacocks.

If you mix the type of peacocks together, they may crossbreed as well.

Just thoughts to consider.

[Smithder]

Good points.

My plan at this point is an all male Peacock tank with a few labidochromis mbuna