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Help required for newby


lucifuge

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Hi all

Just setup a 6x2x2 tank, preparing for Malawi Cichilds. I have added water ager (dechlorinator etc) and added some sea salt as suggested from pet store.

I need to get the hardness and pH right. I know the pH needs to be about 8. Not exactly sure on hardness, but Ive heard >20dH. Anyhow, even though these can easily be tested. How does one actually increase the pH and the hardness? i.e. what is added? ( I am using crushed coral to help a little with the hardness, but no doubt need more?)

any advice much appreciated.

cheers

lucifuge

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Hey lucifuge

why did the lfs recommend sea salt ?

I use seachem malawi buffer and seachem rift lake salt both at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 20lt, my tanks also contain a lot of limestone, and that will always guarantee a ph above neutral. If you use crushed coral in your bio filter it will help quite a lot, and i would not panic too much about getting the lake conditions exactly right unless you have wild caught fish, as most of the fish bought from the lfs will be tank bred fish and have in a lot of cases been kept in much milder conditions than the lake. A lot of the lfs i visit use straight tap water with water conditioner and nothing else.

Bob.

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If you live in Sydney, i don't think you have to worry about ph or hardness all that much. Ph in sydney is high enough you don't really need to put a buffer.

My feelings anyway, but if you really want you can add a premixed buffer from aquarium shops or use the DIY recipe on the FAQ page.

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