# Cichlid substrate choice



## fisherman85 (Dec 15, 2008)

I was looking to change my 75 gallon tank into an african cichlid tank and was wondering if anyone has tried eco-complete cichlid sand? If so how does it work? my pH is around 7.6 now and this stuff claims to maintain a higher pH. does it raise your pH to the cichlid range or do i have to raise it with chemicals and this stuff will maintain the higher pH?


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

The sand releases calcium into the water to raise the PH to maintain it. As the PH lowers more of it dissolves into the water. It will bring it up to the 8.0+ range. 

No chemicals needed. African cichlids are much hardier then most fish. I have kept Lake Tang tangs in 7.8ph, when they were needing 9.0 as in the wild. They thrived and bred constantly for me in this water, often PH is just much overthought but its importance isn't all that. Your fish will be fine in that water  They accumilate better then fluxuating PH.


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## fisherman85 (Dec 15, 2008)

so when i do my weekly water changes would my pH change


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

It might have a small swing, but if your only doing 5-10% i wouldn't worry about it


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## redpaulhus (Jan 18, 2005)

I'll say I mostly agree with Osiris -- it depends on your tapwater.

my tapwater has a pH above 7, but a hardness just below cotton candy - there's no buffering.
Even in my tanks with coral sand or crushed coral gravel (and crushed coral filled box filters) I need to pre-mix my water to the pH I want to keep (I use Seachem Malawi buffer for the most part ) -- other wise my pH just doesn't stay consistant, and the pH and hardness seem to be too low for me to get good fry production.

Heck, even in my non-RiftLake tanks, I need to add buffer to keep the water from going to 6.0 (or lower) in 1-2 weeks.

If your water is already well buffered and your pH is already in a pretty good range, then you should be ok with just the gravel. It all depends on your tap water, IMO.


The Key, IME - and here I think I agree with Osiris - is consistancy. A consistant 7.8 is better than going from 7.5 -> 7.8 -> 8.4 -> 7.5 -> 8.3


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

I just used the White quarts sand from the Local hardware store. 50 Pound bags are cheap and the Cichlids love it.


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

If you only use white quartz sand from the hardware store...

You may want to use some crushed coral or texas holey rock to keep the PH up. This way you do not need to use the chems. I had a 55 that I used white sand adn just put crushed coral mixed in with it.


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