# Buffering high pH, low hardness water



## blixem (Jun 13, 2005)

Well, I've given in, and think I'm going to try my first african rift lake tank. I'm well versed in S. American's so I know how to get my tap water down to 6.5pH and low hardness, but I have no clue how I'm going to bring my tap water to rift lake parameters.

Currently out of my tap I have ~8ph water (settles after a day to ~7.5) and a hardness of <2 degrees both GH and KH. 

The trick of this is I want a way that I can get the water to 8-8.5pH and bring up the hardness ~15 degrees, w/o having to add chems daily/weekly. I don't mind adding some to the water at a water change, but I want to find a way to setup the tank so that aside from the water change I don't have to keep adding salt/chems or whatever.

I'm curious if anyone has water close to my parameters, and what does just using crushed coral as a substrate bring your parameters up to?


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

You can used crushed coral, limestone deco rocks such as Texas "Holey" Rock, or there are some other buffering substrates out there. Crushed coral will bring your water into the 8 pH range. As far as the hardness you can use a Cichlid Essential or African rift lake salt. Use according to manufacturer specs, and should only need to be used in events of water changes. Some one else might have better ideas on the hardness.


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

Also beware that using lighter colored substrates can and will bleach the color of your africans. I have a Eureka in a 55 with white sand after taking him out of my 120 with Tahitian moon sand (black, non buffering) and I can see a huge difference.


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## blixem (Jun 13, 2005)

Thanks, I think I'm going to go with a dark substrate and suppliment the tanks with a lot of base rock. Since I'm going to be doing a Lake Tang setup I hear that they like higher pH than Malawi, so I can easily bring my pH up to 8.5-9.0 and keep happy fish.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Baking Soda will stabalise/raise your KH which would keep your taps PH from lowering. All you should need but a good base rock would be even better in addition to baking soda.


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

I have "Holey" rock with sand and argonite as my substrate in my Tang. 55. Works very well keeping the pH up in the higher 8's. I have two small pieces of "Holey" rock with Tahitian Moon sand in my Malawi 120 and it keeps the pH right at about 8.2-8.4
What type of fish are you thinking about putting in you Tang. tank?


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

They also make a special supplement for Tang. tanks that has essential nutrients and what not in the mix. I have not used it and do not have a problem whatsoever.


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