Best way to maintain consistent pH in a cichlid tank?

[danielp]

What's the secret?

I've been told to put a liter or so of Caribe Sea crushed coral in each canister filter.

What's some other ideas?

The substrate I'm looking to use does not have Aragonite.

[mark razmandi]

the best way to maintain a constant PH in a tank is to live in houston...youre gravy dude. what kind of fish do you have and what PH are you trying to maintain? are you trying to lower/raise or keep it at the usual 7.8-8 ph thats in houston

[kbuntu]

Most people using crushed coral which is relatively cheap. I personally prefer ocean shells (free where I live) and my PH is stable around 8.6.

For water changes you can add "Buffer" made by Seachem. Again, I went the cheap route and just use Baking Soda.

Hope it helps.

[Darbex]

Most tap pH runs in the low to mid 8 in houston and is pretty steady. For most African cichlids thats almost perfect and even for some SA that pretty good. Now for SA if you want them to optimal than you need to lower it but thats not necessarily true as I keep WC Discus which everyone will say need 6.8 or so but mine are happy and fine in my 8.4 as long as its stable thats the most important thing. I think Friendswood is stable pH as well

[algarciajr]

I agree with what everyone else has already said on here, you shouldn't have a problem with PH here in town. If you have another tank setup at home now that you are not injecting with co2, measure the PH to get an idea of what your PH will be.

[eklikewhoa]

CC in the filters would help buffer the decent levels that come out of our tap and from there just keep the gas exchange going to keep co2 levels low and that should maintain your levels. Frequent water changes with consistent water will also help as well.

[danielp]

All good responses.

Getting back into African's after doing plant tanks the last few years and a lot has evolved in helping maintain quality water parameter levels. Just wanting to make sure I'm there.

Thanks

[wesleydnunder]

CC in the filters would help buffer the decent levels that come out of our tap and from there just keep the gas exchange going to keep co2 levels low and that should maintain your levels. Frequent water changes with consistent water will also help as well.

I prefer this over monkeying with water chemistry.

Mark

[snookfish]

just remember, they're cichlids, you can raise them in a toilet as long as you don't flush and they'll make it. and the best cureall is water changes, lots and lots of water changes.