peanut2110

Hi Smidey, I've always had the opposite problem where our ph is 9+. I think it has something to do with the concrete water tanks the rain water is stored in. Anyway, I use crushed gravel with aragonite sand mixed to whatever ratio will keep the water constant at 7.8 but one thing I have noticed in our last 2 rural moves is that after 48-72 hours it seems to stabilise to a ph where it intends to remain. So it definitely pays to give it at least 3 days before you start tampeing with it as you may just get it settling to around about the level you need anyway...

The "chilumba" is really good - he wasn't the genuine article in the end but is a nice fish in the display tank anyway. He doesn't cause or receive any trouble at all. A couple of the other peacocks are a similar size - the Maleri Red for one. He does get picked on a little bit but he knows how to get out of the way! The big fish in my tank currently are the Kadango, Red Empress, Fryeri and C. Moorii. The Kadango and the Red Empress often face off against eachother but nothing ever comes of it... No I don't have any girls for my boys - they are all celibate! :lol:

Hi there, I have a male only tank and it is great. The boys all get on well (most of the time!) and they are a lovely colourful bunch to look at! Just need to make sure you have a nice big tank so they can all get a bit of space if they want it. Having said that I keep the caves and possible territories to a minimum so they don't have too much to fight over... See my sig below for some of the fish I have. I bought some more a few weeks back so I now also have an OB peacock, Sunshine peacock, Otopharynx Lithobates, Electric Yellow, Aul. Baenschi and a few more rainbowfish to act as dithers. I have introduced a range of ages but generally I think if you can get your fish as juveniles and pop them all in the tank together, you will have a very good chance of them all getting on as they will grow up together. If you do introduce fish at different times (regardless of age) I have found it pays to add them in small groups as a single fish introduced on its own does tend to get picked on. Good luck!

We live rurally and are also on rain water. I use aragonite sand in my substrate (just mix it in with the black granite chips) and this help keeps everything stable. I also never change more than 20% of the water at any time. Last year when I was setting up the new 400L tank I had the opposite problem where the ph of our water (which had been sitting in concrete water tanks) was over 9! I had to mix it with some irrigation water (ph 6) just to get it to where it is normally around 7.8. It was a hassle but once I got the mix right the aragonite sand keept it there without any difficulty at all. Not sure how much aragonite sand you actually need though for it to be effective...??? :roll:

Speaking from experiesnce, definitely don't put dwarf neons in with cichlids - they do get eaten and in a most undignified manner with their rear ends hanging out of the cichlids mouth for quite some time while all the other cichlids take a chunk out of it! I was told they would be fine because they are fast swimmers but I lost 2 out of 3 dwarf neons within a week of introducing them to the aquarium so they obviously weren't fast enough! I managed to find the last one a new home quick! I still keep reds, goldens, boesmans and soon splendids as well - these are all a much better size for a cichlid tank. Also make sure you have at least 6 of them preferably more as they like to hang out together... I know lots of people who like rainbowfish but I think sometimes the price puts people off. At anywhere between $12 for a single fish and $37 for a pair, they are not exactly cheap if you want to buy a few of them for your tank... :roll:

Just looking back over old threads about lighting and this one basically answers my question except, how do you work out how much light you need using std fluro lights? I have to make a decision soon for the sparky as they are being built in to the new kitchen area. I will have a 655 litre glass tank (1.55m x 0.65 x0.65) which will contain sand, rocks and a range of cichlids in the main, so no plants. Can anyone give me an idea please? Thanks!

Brilliant! Now if you can just tell me where one finds a wide-bore tube that would be great! :roll: I am definitely going to give this a go and see if I can get the food in a place the loaches etc can get at it but the cichlids can't stick their greedy noses in!

Lol with my aim at speed I am liable to miss the aquarium altogether!!! I have tried feeding at different ends but the tank is only 1.5m long and some of the bigger cichlids with good peripheral vision see the big pellets or lumps of frozen shrimp and leg it (or should I say "fin" it...) down to the other end! Some hits the bottom but thats the stuff that usually then gets picked up off the tank floor. The syno can hold his own if he gets to it in time but the loaches just get pushed out of the way. Maybe I will just feed more at both ends of the tank and see how that goes... Cheers guys!

Hi all, May be a dumb question but what is the best way / device of getting food to the bottom of the tank and keeping it there long enough for the bottom feeders to get at it? I have 2 clown loaches (about 4cm) and a synodontis catfish (about 20cm) and a BN (about 5-6cm) that often don't get the food as my greedy cichlids eat it on the way down! Or if it is fortunate enough to land on the bottom of the tank, it doesn't stay there for long as the cichlids sniff it out and eat it off the tank floor! It doesn't seem to matter that I feed the cichlids first, drop it all in together or put the food in after lights out! I know these bottowm feeders aren't getting their fair share and I would just like to make sure they do! Ideas please? :roll:

NLS = New Life Spectrum - it's an awesome food and all you need to feed they reckon altho everyone seems to like a bit of variety! I feed mine NLS Cichlid formula, JBL Novo Stick M, Nutrafin spirulina algae flake food, Feeze dried plankton, Brine shrimp flakes, Wardley cichlid crumbles, Wardley sinking pellets and a generic flake food occassionally. Once a week they get frozen shrimp and a hunk of cucumber. Have had no trouble with bloat or anything. I only feed twice a day and only ever enough that it is all consumed within 1-2 minutes. They always look at me like they NEED more but we all know what cichlids are like when it comes to their food!

Thanks for that Ant N. I saw your earlier comments about this model filter. How long have you had it now and are you still very happy with it? I do quite like the idea of two filters just in case one has a problem... Similarly I think I will probably go with two heaters for the exact same reason. I like the FX5 as well but even on special at $485 it's $100 more than 2 of these and I still have to buy all the media which would have to be a fair few bucks worth! :roll: As I get nearer the time, I might check in with you again, just to see how your filter is doing and if you still think they are good value for money. If so, I think I'll end up going the same way...

Thanks Ryan - I was wondering about the FX5 as well but with only one uptake tube, I wasn't sure just how much rubbish they would suck up. Where is yours positioned in the tank exactly? I saw blueandkims comments on an earlier thread about their FX5 and they seem really happy with it as well altho I seem to recall them running an additional filter to the FX5 as well. Up to what size tank are the FX5 rated for? ANd what filter medium do you have in yours - I seem to recall they don't come with any media and you have to get that yourself... I think I saw HFF advertising a special price on their FX5 - maybe I will go and check it out when I am in Akld next!

Hi there, Just wondering if anyone out there has one of these and whether they can tell me if they are any good or not. :roll: I am researching all the cannister filter options at present to find out which will be the best option on my new 580litre tank that I will be putting in our new house in a few months time. :bounce: Dimenions of the tank are 1.6m long x 0.6m deep x 0.6m high. Fish will include those listed below plus an A. Jacob, A. Baenschi, A. Rubescens, C. Azureus and 4 pairs of rainbowfish (red, blue, gold and boesmani). I want to ensure I have really good filtration and a good water flow rate. Don't know whether I am best to go for 2 x cannister filters or 1 x monster filter. Any advice on what you have found works best for you would be appreciated. Cheers!

The guy on TM sells it but it's not strictly sand - more a crushed rock. His TM name is oceandose and he couriers it everywhere. A 25kg bag will set you back about $35 - $40 and will cover a 1 - 1.2m long tank no worries.

Thanks Ryan. Sorry David R - like Simian said, I didn't think it worth repeating when my signature states what I have in my tank... As for the rainbowfish I am looking to add - golden, reds and boesmani. Do you have any helpful advice for me now?

I have a tank full of male cichlids, 3 x clown loaches, 1 x rainbow shark, 1 x CAE and 1 x BN. I want to add some rainbow fish to the mix - a half dozen or so. Question is, should I only add male rainbow fish or do you think pairs would be alright? I know pairs will bring out the best colours in the male rainbows but I don't want any of the male cichlids to be affected by the female rainbows. I may be imagining it but I seem to recall reading somewhere that male cichlids sometimes go after females of other species. Anyone else heard the same thing? :roll: Like I said, may be a dumb question, may even be a funny one for some of you out there but thought this was the best place to ask the question before I place my order with the LFS next week....

I used white aragonite sand in my tank for a few months but found it got a bit discoloured over time. When I set up my next tank I mixed white and black sand together which looks a lot tidier but might not be the look everyone wants...

Plus-a-fact I think this cichlid is quite an aggressive one whereas your peacocks and E. Yellows are much less so. I know the demasoni can be a bit tough but I'm sure Ryan has told me it is only with eachother and if there are enough numbers i.e. 12+ even that shouldn't be a problem. If you want to add some other cichlids, make sure you go with the more mild mannered ones and you shouldn't have a problem. Having said that, you will obviously still need to keep in mind the size of your tank - if you don't you'll be out shopping for a bigger one before you know it (I went from a 140ltr to a 200ltr to a 400ltr in just over 12 months!) Then again it helps if you stop buying every nice looking cichlid you see!!! :lol: Be patient - it will be worth the wait!

Hi there, I have a 400ltr tank filled with a large piece of driftwood, several large pieces of pumice and all the fish listed below. The substrate I used was part aragonite sand and part crushed rock with two pieces of coral all of which help keep the ph stable at 7.8. In my old 200ltr tank I had all aragonite sand as well as the driftwood and that was enough to keep the ph stable. Buffering is just increasing and maintaining the ph at a given level so it doesn't impact negatively on the fish and as you know, cichlids do like a higher ph. In that 200ltr tank I kept 1/2 dozen male peacocks from different strains. They were pretty but there really wasn't enough of them and I have found that when there aren't enough they can be a bit shy. I think the E. Yellow, Demasoni and Peacock mix sounds great. My most awesome peacocks would have to be the Red Empress (a rainbow of colours!), the Chilumba (an awesome blue) and the Dragonblood (bright yellow). I also really like my P. Electra who is black and white but with a greeny violet sheen that has to really be seen to be appreciated. Whatever you end up with, you won't regreat it - cichlids are so colourful and they are real characters and anyone whoever comes in your house and sees them will always be very taken with them! Good luck!

Ok well it's obviously all in the timing! Had made a decision to strip her tomorrow morning and was just doing the last check and lights out for the fish when I noticed a few little objects darting around! Looks like she has spat out around 10 fry... :bounce: Have already removed her and put her back in with the other fish and from what I can tell she is having a good feed right now. Have also just put a little liquifry food in for the babies - fingers crossed they have a good feed as well!

Hi everyone, I have a female dragonblood who has been holding for a good 2-3 weeks. She has done this twice before but has either spat the fry too early or spat them at the right time and the fry have been eaten by the other fish in the tank before I got to see them! Two days ago I separated her from the other fish and she is still holding a mouthful. Do I just leave her to do her thing or should I try and strip her? :roll: I have never done it before but have watched the video on cichlid-forum and feel reasonably confident about the process. One thing I can tell you is that when I moved her in the net the other day (which was just to the other side of the tank divider) she did spit out a couple of fry and off they went swimming. I saw them once or twice after that (fed some liquifry and crushed flake food) but nothing all day yesterday or today. Could that mean they were still too young and died? Or is it possible she hoovered them back up? :roll: Sorry if these are dumb questions but I only ever wanted a male display tank and the 3 dragonbloods that are breeding are some that were left over from a group purchase I did of young fish that were unsexable. I have my one bright yellow male and so these 3 are just hanging out waiting for someone to buy them off me (offers anyone??!!) I would just like to give the babies a chance if they have one! Look forward to your advice!

hi fishandchips! I have a BN, a CAE and 4 clown loaches and they seem to work really well. The clowns were in a ph of 7 when I got them and I keep my ph at 7.8 so I made sure to adjust them slowly over a good 2-3 hours. They didn't get white spot either (even though I had rescued them from a tank in my LFS where all their tankmates were dropping like flys!) but I did turn the temp up for a good couple of weeks and added some salt and an airstone... Good luck!

I have a large piece of driftwood in my tank and I keep African cichlids. I keep my ph at a stable 7.8 by using some aragonite sand (mine is mixed within the black substrate but you can also just keep a little bit in a stocking inside the aquarium or if possible, inside your filter) and a couple of pieces of dead coral. Both substances act as a buffer so not only do the keep the ph at the high end, they also keep it stable. You could also use oyster shell which you can buy from the pet shop in a stocking... Out of interest, what fish have you got / are you going to keep in the tank once it is fully cycled?

Ok this is weird! I didn't test the water before I added it to the tank as I filled a new tank before christmas, tested it then and the water was a nice neutral 7.0. I also use this water supply each week to do 15% water changes on my 2 fish tanks and the ph of the tanks has remained steady and the fish have been fine. The water source is a friends down the road - rainwater collected from the roof of her house that is stored in a concrete tank. We are on filtered irrigation water which is why I use her water as I didn't think the fish would like the irrigation water. I tested the water at source and found that it now has a ph of 9.5+. I went to another friends house about 7km away to get alternative tank water and what do you know, her water is the same high ph. I have two test kits and used them both to test the water - both gave the same high ph readings. I then came home and re-tested my 2 fish tanks and they both have a ph of 7.8 (just where I want it!) and our filtered irrigation water has a ph of 6.5 so I guess the test kits are just fine. My two fish tanks both have 100% aragonite sand in them to help keep the ph stable. I don't understand what is causing the ph to be so high in both concrete tanks. We haven't had a good downpour here for a while - would the ph of the water increase the longer it sits in the concrete tanks? If so, I will need to watch out for this in the future. Right now, I am thinking a 50% water change replacing what I take out with filtered irrigation water might be the way to go. What do you think? Does anyone else use filtered irrigation water in their fish tanks? This is so weird - if anyone has any theories on why our rainwater has suddenly spiked from a ph of 7.0 to 9.5+, I would really like to hear them! :roll:

Hi there, This week I decided to set up the new Juwel 400ltr tank I have had sitting in storage for the last couple of months to move my ever growing bunch of cichlids in to. I washed it out with plain water, set up the heater and filter per the instructions and added a whole lot of rainwater (my usual supply - filtered tank water as we live rurally). Before doing so, I washed (in plain water again) and added my chosen substrate - black coarse sand purchased off TM, mixed in with some white aragonite sand (also purchased from the same supplier). I have tested the water for 2 days running and the ph is 9.5+ (I say + because my test kit maxes out at 9.5 and for all I know it could actually be higher!) Before I purchased the substrate, I got the guy to send me some samples and I did a test on it with my rain water. With just the black substrate, the water had quite a low ph as it is not really a buffering agent, so I added some aragonite sand to get a "salt and pepper" mix (about 4 parts black sand to 1 part aragonite sand) and this created the correct ph of 7.5 - 8. I have mimicked the same ratio in the big tank and am at a loss as to why the ph is off the chart. In my other two cichlid tanks where I use the aragonite sand only, the ph is 7.5 - 8. Could it be something other than the substrate or in a brand new tank is that all it could be? Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated!