Cichlids Substrate
- Thread starter mayreee
- Start date
If your tap water has a naturally high ph 8-8.5 then the gravel should be fine. The thing with sand and other cichlid substrates is that it naturally rasies the ph to/near the desired ph for the cichlids. Crushed coral works too, you can also add rocks such as lime stone, lace rock, and other stones that will also raise the ph also these objects will buffer your water so the ph doesnt change to often and pretty much remains stable. You can also add stuff such as proper ph 8.5 to your water, i think one package is per 20 gallons of water. havent had to use it yet, but if anyone can add anything that im missing to help mayreee out that would be appreciated 
Good Luck
Good Luck
livewyr25 said:If your tap water has a naturally high ph 8-8.5 then the gravel should be fine. The thing with sand and other cichlid substrates is that it naturally rasies the ph to/near the desired ph for the cichlids. Crushed coral works too, you can also add rocks such as lime stone, lace rock, and other stones that will also raise the ph also these objects will buffer your water so the ph doesnt change to often and pretty much remains stable. You can also add stuff such as proper ph 8.5 to your water, i think one package is per 20 gallons of water. havent had to use it yet, but if anyone can add anything that im missing to help mayreee out that would be appreciated
what kind of sand will raise the ph?? PLay sand wont. something a little more expensive might if it states it has a buffering ability.
Crushed coral(shells) mixed with play sand will
agree with the rocks you can add cement blocks/bricks to that list...might not be pretty but works.
DON"T use any chemicals they will do it but they won't be stable.
livewyr25 said:I have in my cichlid tank what they call cichlid gravel, its finely crushed rocks, aka sand
right its ment to buffer the water as I said. more expensive then just Play Sand and I'm sure that it is larger then sand and more like a very small rock.
You can try to get Southdown Playsand from your local Home Depot. It only cost me $5 for a fifty lb bag. It's great for buffering the water, although it takes some time and effort to rinse it so that it doesn't take a week or two for the cloudiness to go away.
That should work, but make sure to check your ph to make sure that you put in enough. I've also heard that you could add the buffering substrate to you filter. I've never tried it though.
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i tried some sort of specialty gravel that brings up your ph ,only to find out that it clogged up my undergravel filter and my pleco was eating it to.anyways,you can buy ph 8.2 .that is what i use for my malawi's.it costs about $9 but lasts for quiet awhile.