# tanganyikan water buffering ??



## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

Hi everyone, I am currently in the process of moving to a new apt. Where the water pH is on the neutral side (7.0), I have a 30g with a group of 6 multies currently occupying it,I plan on moving them to a 72g formerly Malawi tank with a fluval fx-5 being used for filtration, my question is, aside from using the arragonite sand substrate and adding holey rock, what else could I do to buffer the pH? I am worried that even of the water buffers after being added to the tank, that a water change would swing the pH quickly and drastically and negatively affect the fish. I know there are buffer mixes out there, but I am always leery about adding chemicals to the tank. I currently use the fx-5 to pump the water into the tank when doing a water change, and I wondered if I added somemesh bags with arragonite into the baskets if that would work to buffer the water as it entered the tank? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.


----------



## Saleen281 (Feb 22, 2012)

Have u tried crushed coral to help the ph ?


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Dunno why you think buffers or chems are bad. They are in lake Tang water which is quite a complex set of chemicals/ions dissolved in water. Its the nature of the beast.
I draw the line at trace elements etc (no evidence I know of that they are needed in the water if in the food) but basic pH and KH is I think just what these guys need except perhaps tough as nails N. brichardi and multies. It for sure does not harm your fish to give em lake like water. pH 7 and low KH is on the other and is very risky I think.
You can raise your KH and increase the pH stability with nothing more expensive than baking soda. Cheap as chips. :wink:


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> I wondered if I added somemesh bags with arragonite into the baskets if that would work to buffer the water as it entered the tank?


No, it doesn't dissolve that quickly. I'd also suggest just adding the baking soda. Test the KH out of your tap. Add enough to bring the tank KH up to 8-10. Your pH will then be stable. The baking soda will probably boost pH as well, but more importantly, it'll be stable.


----------



## darkstar22 (Dec 13, 2010)

I use Seachem Lake Tanganyika Buffer, and Cichlid salts. I use these 2 products to bring my RO/DI water up to a PH of 9. I know most people don't use RO/DI, but I have a Reef tank too so I'm always filtering water anyway! 
I'm not saying it is the way to go but it works for me!


----------



## TerriM (Feb 26, 2012)

Just my .02 cent worth as a long time shellie fanatic. I have bred shellies for years, among them Similis (named for their similarity to Multies), Gold Ocellatus and Ornatipinnis. Also have compressiceps, Tanzania strain.

Having said that I have found that it really depends on the fish and how "close" it is to the lake. Meaning if you have a wild caught or F1, maybe an F2 they will live very well in a low pH water. They usually don't breed in low pH water though.

If your fish are more "domestic" meaning coming from a breeder and their parents are many generations removed from their originating lake then absolutely no buffering would be necessary. Buffering can be expensive and causes too much of a variance in water parameters. Up one day, down the next. Most breeders don't bother buffering water hence the fish are used to a lower pH through the generations.

It is absolutely more vital that their water be stable, no up and down swings. Baking soda is pretty bad for not holding steady. The rocks, like Texas Holey rocks, or limestone rocks are the best way for sure.

Now if you do have fish that are F0, F1 or maybe F2 and they are breeding age and not breeding, or stop breeding after you move, and you get rocks and this doesn't help then I would highly recommend the Seachem line of Tanganyika buffers. They are very stable.

I had a F0, wild caught, trio of Similis and although they lived very well in my comparatively low pH water they would not reproduce. I tried baking soda and found too much of a pH swing, not stable. Finally I tried the Seachem line and very soon I had Similis fry everywhere. As they got older I removed the F1 fry to their own tank, let them reproduce and started "weaning" them off the buffering. By the time I had F4 they needed no buffering at all and were breeding in my normal tapwater with no buffering at all.

Bottom line ~~ it really depends on how "domestic" your fish are. Multies, they're probably many generations from wild caught and would need nothing. If they're breeding now watch to see if they stop breeding. But the absolute most important thing is a stable pH, above all. Try to avoid buffering that will cause pH swings. I've never found that water changes really effect the pH balance that much and have never found that the shellies need huge water changes like say a Discus would. Small weekly water changes, I've found for my shellies about 10% seems to work well without really causing that much of a swing in pH. Now my Malawi tank, that one gets about 50%, they have a much heavier bioload.

Good luck!


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Baking soda is pretty bad for not holding steady.


Really? Why would that be? Do you realize that the commercial products you're using are probably using baking soda to buffer? The only thing that would cause pH swings if KH is up would be CO2 levels. But, that's not the fault of the buffer.

Everyone's water is different. If someone has extremely soft and acidic water, then I'd not suggest they not buffer because the fish are far removed from WC so it'll be ok. Too general of a statement. What works for you may not work for someone else with very different source water.



> Try to avoid buffering that will cause pH swings.


Buffering is never the 'cause' of pH swings, that would be lack of buffering.


----------



## phishman (Feb 3, 2012)

I have an Excel file that has the mixture for making your own buffer. I can email it to anyone interested if you pm me. My tap water is 7. I used to use Seachem Malawi buffer. Now my tanks have either dolomite or CaribSea argonite Seaflor grade. I keep tropheus in three tanks. All my tanks are at 8.2. When you mix your own buffers you have to experiment in a bucket before you use it in a fish tank.
Greg


----------



## phishman (Feb 3, 2012)

A few people pm'd me about the class file for mixing buffer. I accidentally delete my whole inbox on here before I could respond. Send me your email again and I will send it out.

Greg


----------



## TerenceH (Sep 25, 2011)

What is the best choice if there is F1 and "domestic" in a tank?


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

TerenceH said:


> What is the best choice if there is F1 and "domestic" in a tank?


Whatever works for you. Some guys only take the new water KH up enough to give them a pH of about 7.6 and have coral or limestone or shell in the tank or filters to keep it up. Others like to take it all the way to pH 8.2 with buffers letting em do huge waterchanges and less need for in tank or in filter buffering matterials.

Me, I need nothing, my tapwater KH is so high 14+ it settles at pH 8.2-8.6 without any action on my part.

All the best James


----------

