Ummmm Help???

[charlie_stubbs]

I have an african cichlid tank. my water parametres are ph-steady at 8, moderately hard. i saw a african cichlid "trace element" additive at my LFS and the clerk said that filtration and natural fish processes remove trace elements without necessarily lowering ph. Sound right? I dont mind the extra expense if it will help, but i dont wanna watch my money going down the tubes if it doesn't

[pinkertd]

I add the trace elements called Discus Essentials by Kent. I have ph 7.6, moderately hard water, lots of fish and lots of plants (no co2) and use a small amount of carbon.....all three take trace elements out of the water. Since I started adding the trace elements with my regular water changes twice/week, I haven't had to add any fertilizers. The low light plants seem to always look great and the fish have never seemed healthier (or hungrier!) I have 4 yound albino BN in that tank and they have grown larger than my angel tank where I don't add trace elements. HTH.

Debbi:)

[IceH2O]

I have an african cichlid tank. my water parametres are ph-steady at 8, moderately hard. i saw a african cichlid "trace element" additive at my LFS and the clerk said that filtration and natural fish processes remove trace elements without necessarily lowering ph. Sound right? I dont mind the extra expense if it will help, but i dont wanna watch my money going down the tubes if it doesn't

I would think that water changes would replace those trace elements. I think stuff like that are for people that are looking for anything to keep them from having to do more then they need to.

[jm1212]

you shouldnt need any buffers. as IceH20 said water changes should replace the trace elements

[charlie_stubbs]

thanks guys. i already got rooked into a bottle of dead bacteria ("cycle" my ***) when i first got the tank so i didnt wanna get hooked again so to speak.

[charlie_stubbs]

the unscroupulous clerk would have sold me a bucket of that crap, and i told the guy i change the water always once, but sometimes twice a week if i'm not busy.

[Weezer]

you shouldnt need any buffers. as IceH20 said water changes should replace the trace elements
:iagree:

[Marinemom]

The only thing you should have to add to your water is a water conditioner and the fish of course. Forget the rest of it. It is just junk.

Marinemom

[pinkertd]

If you are using municipal tap water, isn't the water having some of the natural trace minerals stripped out at the water processing plant before it reaches us? I've had well water up until I moved into my current house 8 years ago and I know our mountain well water here in northwest New Jersey is chock full of minerals. I am no chemist but it just seems tap water is missing a lot of natural, good things by the time it reaches you and is filled with a lot of UN-natural bad things.

Debbi:)

[mostlycichlids]

I agree with pinkertid. Tap water is missing a lot of elements. It also dont contain as many of the natural minerals as found in lakes in Africa. I have tap water in my new house. I have found it to be way more full of phosphates etc than my local tap.

I have been using it for several years. It benefits my fish and works great for me. I don't know why people are bashing it and saying it don't work. It can be very beneficial if you live somewhere where mineral content in tap water is low. I have used this for over 6 years. It is a great product in my opinion.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4196&N=2004+113014

It is not a waste of money in my experience.