Rain water

[JonFishin]

Hi guys,

Does anyone use rain water for their african's? Is it practical to add buffers to the water or should I just start looking into south american's. Don't know much about them, not sure they really do it for me...

Cheers,

Jon

[Ged]

Rainwater is fine to use but you will need to use a buffer. You can use commercially produced buffer but it will be more cost effective if you make your own. There are plenty of recipes on the net if you go looking.

Johns also produces a buffer which has had really good reviews.

[dogboy]

i keep tanganyikans in buffered rainwater, i use aquasonic carbonate and rift lake salts

[JonFishin]

Hi dogboy

That is good to hear. Do you have any problems with instability in your water. Do you mix the buffer into a water tub before you add it into your tanks? I'm very interested to hear how you go about your water changes, frequency etc.

Thanks

Jon

[shon982]

I do the same as dogboy and use the same buffers and salts

Works fine

Add the buffers and salts as the tanks fill up again while doing a water change

No instability problems

and water change every month or two

[JonFishin]

That's excellent! Very reassuring. Thanks guys.

Jon

[dogboy]

sorry about slow reply.

i mix 10 heaped teaspoons of carbonate and 20 level spoons of rift lake to a 220 l barrel of water. and usually let it sit in the fish room for a day or two to heat up ( with a heater in winter) , i dont do changes as often as i should due to lack of time, and i havent had too many issues with stability but i actually rarely test the water unless i have an issue. keeping tropheus in there no worries

i also have limestone in the tanks and coral in the filters to help buffer