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temperature of about 78 F is the best and a ph of 8.2 or so for malawi's and 9.0 or so for tangs.
i would suggest reading up more on them though... try http://www.malawimayhem.com
they like other things too!
-Diana
i would suggest reading up more on them though... try http://www.malawimayhem.com
they like other things too!
-Diana
Tang or Malawi, 8.3pH is just fine for even hard to breed tangs. No need to worry so hard to get pH above the baking soda's natural 8.3pH.
Fact is both lakes vary widely, from 7.8-9, but a WC buffer with baking soda, epsom salt and trace element mix will be fine for either. IME, using NaCL (regular salt) isn't needed. Although, I do enjoy from time-to-time spinkling a shake of salt in to watch the fish eat single grains, like a deer-lick.
All but one of my aquariums are Tanganyika Rift Lake fish. I buffer thus:
Baking soda to a dKH of 15-20 (the pH will be 8.3pH, which is just fine.)
Epsom Salts (pure mineral) to ~20 dGH.
Kent AF Rift Lake Trace liquid solution (for the cyps)
Thus, the target range would be:
Exaclty 8.3pH (you can't avoid this perfectly stabile pH using baking soda.)
~20 dKH (add more baking soda until the dKH is about 20. More won't hurt, but don't go crazy!)
~20 dGH (half the amount of Epsom Salt. Pure Magnesium Sulfate.)
Using aroganite sand or crushed coral for substrate is good as well. Decorating with Seashells, oyster shells, etc. As many as you find aesthetically pleasing. I do half inert sand and half arog/crushed coral to fill it up. IMO, finer substrates are better. Avoid "gravel" since it only traps mung and does little else. "Gravel" is great to foul a tank up! I love sand!
My tap water is neutral and soft. So for my water, a heaping 1/4 teapoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to each 5 gallons of water. Half as much epsom salts.
The Kent AF solution may not be needed at all. It can help with very sensitive Tanganyika species, like cyps altos, etc for breeding purposes.
HTH
Fact is both lakes vary widely, from 7.8-9, but a WC buffer with baking soda, epsom salt and trace element mix will be fine for either. IME, using NaCL (regular salt) isn't needed. Although, I do enjoy from time-to-time spinkling a shake of salt in to watch the fish eat single grains, like a deer-lick.
All but one of my aquariums are Tanganyika Rift Lake fish. I buffer thus:
Baking soda to a dKH of 15-20 (the pH will be 8.3pH, which is just fine.)
Epsom Salts (pure mineral) to ~20 dGH.
Kent AF Rift Lake Trace liquid solution (for the cyps)
Thus, the target range would be:
Exaclty 8.3pH (you can't avoid this perfectly stabile pH using baking soda.)
~20 dKH (add more baking soda until the dKH is about 20. More won't hurt, but don't go crazy!)
~20 dGH (half the amount of Epsom Salt. Pure Magnesium Sulfate.)
Using aroganite sand or crushed coral for substrate is good as well. Decorating with Seashells, oyster shells, etc. As many as you find aesthetically pleasing. I do half inert sand and half arog/crushed coral to fill it up. IMO, finer substrates are better. Avoid "gravel" since it only traps mung and does little else. "Gravel" is great to foul a tank up! I love sand!
My tap water is neutral and soft. So for my water, a heaping 1/4 teapoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to each 5 gallons of water. Half as much epsom salts.
The Kent AF solution may not be needed at all. It can help with very sensitive Tanganyika species, like cyps altos, etc for breeding purposes.
HTH
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