I want to set up an african cichlid tank in my 115g. These are the fish that I would like to get (don't know most of the genus species names yet, so bear with me):
electric yellow
red empress
1 or more species of peacock
and maybe:
frontosa
venustus
If anybody sees a problem with these fish getting along, please explain.
As for the setup, I've done a little research and apparently, africans like hard, alkaline water. I've also heard of people using crushed coral for substrate, or mixing it with their sand/gravel as a buffer. I'm thinking about doing the mix, but I'm not sure what pH is ideal for the fish I have listed.
The pH out of my tap is about 7.9
After aging overnight it reads about 8.3
Out of the tank it is currently about 7.9
So, what would be a good pH range for my fish? And approximately how much crushed coral should I mix into my tank?
Lastly, I don't understand the water hardness (GH or KH or something?), but I think the hardness has something to do with my aged tap being higher than straight from the tap. Could you please explain how the hardness affects the pH and how to adjust it if need be. Thanks.
electric yellow
red empress
1 or more species of peacock
and maybe:
frontosa
venustus
If anybody sees a problem with these fish getting along, please explain.
As for the setup, I've done a little research and apparently, africans like hard, alkaline water. I've also heard of people using crushed coral for substrate, or mixing it with their sand/gravel as a buffer. I'm thinking about doing the mix, but I'm not sure what pH is ideal for the fish I have listed.
The pH out of my tap is about 7.9
After aging overnight it reads about 8.3
Out of the tank it is currently about 7.9
So, what would be a good pH range for my fish? And approximately how much crushed coral should I mix into my tank?
Lastly, I don't understand the water hardness (GH or KH or something?), but I think the hardness has something to do with my aged tap being higher than straight from the tap. Could you please explain how the hardness affects the pH and how to adjust it if need be. Thanks.