CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Hi......is it true that when you carry out a water change and use tap water instead of R.O or deioinized water,the ph always settles at around 8.0-8.4......and is this ph ideal for most marine fish??

Also....do you have to mix the new water going in-into a bucket and keep it warmed and oxygenated overnite(24hrs) before putting in the tank....is this really neccessary??

any help.....much appriciated.

jay:cool:

is it true that when you carry out a water change and use tap water instead of R.O or deioinized water,the ph always settles at around 8.0-8.4.

NO - it depends on the tap waters ph ,tank substrate etc...

Because of the substrate used + the salt etc.. - salt water tanks PH is usually higher 8.0 and up but not guaranteed to be between 8.0 and 8.4

do you have to mix the new water going in-into a bucket

Seems to be a matter of personal preferance -
I always thought pre-mixing would be easiest on the fish - avoiding gravity/salinity changes or shifts

and keep it warmed and oxygenated overnite(24hrs) before putting in the tank....is this really neccessary??

Again -- Seems to be a matter of personal preferance -
airateing overnight - is done mostly to remove chlorine

heating is usually done for ich prevention and/or for adding water into sensative reef systems.

ok thank u stillearnin...

once again my learning curve is ever increasing...

will keep u posted..

cheers..
jay:)

first yes after mixing your ph will be between 8.0-8.4 with any good salt, I suggest oceanic, has high buffering, so it wil swing the ph to 8.2ish.

As for mixing before, yes it is a must, just by and extra powerhead and heater. oceanic can be mixed a few hours in advance but mixing needs to be done with a powerhead or air pump. Also keeping it heated lowers the stress on the fish and allows the salt to mix quicker.

You don't have to use RO its just suggest because of the metals in tap water, you will just have more aglea growth and the such with tap but no big deal, it still works fine.

good luck
JR

Ahh sweet....thanks for your advice.

This advice is what i need to hear..when i look through books i often wonder what is totally neccessary and what you can get away with.

One thing i seem to come across regularly is people having problems with algea.This is something i suppose i will have to deal with when my tanks up,running and settled.
Ive heard of many herbivores that will perhaps sort algea problems,like tangs,turbo snails and cucumbers.....is this true and/or will these herbivores tackle every form of algea in the aqaurium??

Thanks again for your advice!

jay:cool:

the only kind of algea that most people like in there main displays is coraline, only urchins are capable of eating this algea, so you don't have to worry about fish eating it.
Most of the bad algeas can't be contained by a fish because most of the fish won't eat them, they prefer macro agleas.

the first algea problem you will face is diatoms, they will bloom around 6 weeks. They are a good indicator for when its time for a clean up crew. Now a clean up crew can consist of all snails or snails/hermits. I like going with snails and a few hermits but be sure to watch the hermits, if there isn't enough food they will attack the snails. Go with turbo snails they do an all around good job, then get a few blue leg(or red leg) hermits, they will keep the sand turned over and keep it looking very clean.

JR

Thank u junior!....you are a never ending source of good advice.
I like the idea of hermit crabs,they are quite amuzing to watch...i just wonder if they are easy to keep?

thanks again..jay