Okay, i see everyone talking about plenty of water changes to keep our fishys water under control. Also watching PH, temp, Hardness, etc. but, no one discusses CICHLID BUFFER RECIPE>>> Any information would be helpful..

I just use crushed coral along with the prescribed amount of Seachem Chiclid Lake Salt.

Any use any magic potions????

I use:
Kent Cichlid Essential and Cichlid Lake Salts

Aragonite is pretty good, I have in all my breeding tanks & they are happy!!! Caribsea makes a cichlid sand that seems to keep my water pretty tight. Not the cheapest recipe for sure...

First, these Cichlids enjoy waters with an alkaline pH, that is, above 7.0. The ranges for the lakes Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria are listed below.

-{ Tanganyika-7.8-9.0 }-=-{ Malawi-7.4-8.4 }-=-{ Victoria-7.2-8.6 }-



These values are approximations; ranges in nature may be more or less but these are the values we hav found the resident Cichlids can tolerate well. I recommend keeping tanks which house African Cichlids at a stable pH of 8.2-8.4 which fish from all three lakes will like. The water African Cichlids live in is also very hard containing many dissolved minerals and salts.

these fish appreciate this higher pH, African Cichlids are one of the few fish whose aquariums may be decorated with coral and shells which normally push the pH of a freshwater aquarium above most fishes natural ranges. In some cases, it may be necessary to buffer water to reach these higher pH levels. There are a lot of commercial "Cichlid Buffers" on the market which can be used. Many of these manufacturers also offer Cichlid Salts and Trace Elements. I recommend using some of these.... containing them you will see great coloration ....because they are in water which more exactly recreates their natural conditions.

So with all that being said....


DIY Cichlid Buffer Recipe

3 key ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking/Bicarb Soda), Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt), and Aquarium Salt – specifically marine salt to add some vital trace elements.

I'm not 100% sure on how many teaspoons of baking soda and salt on all gallons but this is what I use for my 120G

I add 5 big teaspoons of Sodium Bic, 3 big teaspoons of epsom salt, 3 big teaspoons of marine salt and 1 big teaspoons of Seachem Safe.

I did some looking online and talking to some breeders that do it and this is the best soulution I have came up with and my fish never stop breeding so something is working.

Is that what you use per a water change or the full amount when you started your 120? If it's per a water change then what percent do you change when you add this?

Most of the time yes.

thanks for all the information.. have done lots of research also, and came up with the same general info and was curious how the other members were handling their water parameters. it tales lots of testing to get an accurate mix for your own water conditions. Every area tap water is so different so we all have to handle it a little different.
Great info KmX thanks

Yeah the water here in Mansfield is great for Cichlids...Just touch it up a bit, kill the chlorine and you got some pretty high ph and some good water.

i am currently testing the water at the water dispensers in shopping malls thats has those 10 step process for pure water. thinking about a mix on this water for my small 20gL grow out tanks..

Might be a good route to take and see how it works.