# Who's PH UP/Buffer do You use???



## BoxxerBoyDrew (May 14, 2010)

Hey Everyone,

Well I am changing over my 55gal from a community tank ( 4 Hoplo cats, Albino Corys, Chines Algae eaters) over to a African Peacock tank. I already have 4 Julies, and 3 OB Peacocks, and only 2 Hoplo cats left who will be moving soon as well as the corys. I have cheap-o gravel ( Dolon Specialty Sand Products usually used as heavy sand blasting media 2-4mm $12 per 50lbs), A LOT of Holey Rock ( 100+lbs) , Fluval 204, and a few air stones.

I will be adding a Aqua Clear HOB filter to help the 204, adding tough live plants that can withstand Africans, and I will probably change the substrate to the Cichlid Sand ( Black and White premix fine grade). 

My problem is our water. During the winter months (during low water consumption months ) our town gets the drinking water from deep wells, but now that everybody is watering their Yards they get most of the water from the lake. The "Well" water is HARD as it comes from limestone, but the lake water is softer with a lower PH. The well waters PH is usually 8.2-8.4 where the lake water is 7.6. So now that I am doing water changes with different PH level water I need to buffer the water to get it up to my tank, which is between 8.2-8.4.

So who's buffer do Yall use or who's do Yall recommend??? I have never had this problem before, as where we used to live our water always came from the wells and stayed about the same year round at 8.2. It has been a while since I needed to use buffers to raise my PH, so I am at a loss of what company's product is "better" to go with. 

Thanks for any help!
Drew


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## Peeps (May 24, 2010)

Well I would get an Aragonite/crushed coral substrate with some texas holey rocks to up the ph. I recommend SeaChem’s Cichlid Salt. SeaChem and other companies also offer Cichlid Salts and Trace Elements, which try to simulate the exact salt and mineral conditions of the rift lakes, in addition to raising the pH. I would recommend using both the buffer and the salts because they really bring out the fishes’ colors.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I like both SeaChem's Products and Kent's. They both have really good dosing instructions. You need both a buffer and "salt" mix. Like Malawi Buffer and "African cichlid salts". If you want to be thorough, you can add a "Ciichlid Trace" as well. I also suggest a pH/TDS/temp pen meter. It makes it really easy to tell if you need more buffer. There are DIY recipes, but for just one 55, its just easier to use the prepared products. 

I moved from a place with well-water and limestone, to a place with only surface water and find the buffers are a great help.


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## cichlideo (Jun 1, 2010)

Use crushed coral for the substrate, sea shells in your filter and buffer for water changes. 
I use Baking Soda which works exactly the same without the price tag.


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Agreed, good old Arm & Hammer or a generic brand, either will work just as well. Baking soda will max out the pH around 8.2 regardless of how much you use, adding more will only increase the kh which buffers the pH. Generally 1 Tbsp/5 gallons will raise it, more will make it more stable.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Baking soda is a cheap, easy source of carbonate. A 1/4 tsp / 5 gallons is enough to stabilize pH in soft water. 

But its sodium bicarbonate. If you really want to replicate the water Rift lake cichlids come from you need Calcium and Magnesium as well as sodium and other things as well. There are diy recipes that use baking soda, Epsom salts and sea salts that come fairly close. Dolomite substrate also has magnesium and so do the ultra expensive "cichlid substrates". The commercial buffers are very good. And though they are overpriced, IMO, its the easiest way if you are only doing one small tank. The more water you are changing, the more sense it makes to make your own.

But a lot depends on your starting water. A lot of the midwest has close to perfect rift lake water out of the tap.


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## JimW/Oscar (Jul 4, 2010)

I use API's Proper pH. My tap pH wavers between 8 & 9 and I've had my aquarium water fixed at 7 for my oscars for a long time.


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