pH for Chrysichthys

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 10 Jun 2003, 18:35

Axelrod's Atlas suggests a pH of 9.0 for Chrysichthys ornatus and a couple of other species. Is this an error from them thinking they're from Lake Tanganyika? Are there Chrysichthys in the Rift Lakes?

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Jun 2003, 18:44

It depends on what species of Chrysichthys is being referred to. There are Chrysichthys in Lake Tanganyika (C. brachynema, C. grandis, C. graueri, C. sianenna, C. platycephalus, and C. stappersii).

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 10 Jun 2003, 19:04

Axelrod's is right about some of them, then, but C. ornatus is a riverine species, isn't it?

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Jun 2003, 19:07

Yup, it's a west African riverine species. Definitely prefers lower pH.

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 10 Jun 2003, 19:15

I thought so. I would be committing chrysichthyicide if I raised its pH from 6.5 to 9.0.

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 10 Jun 2003, 20:21

My PH regularly balances out at 7, but due to having a Psudomystus siamensis and Pimelodus albofasciatus in a tank I would like to get it to 6.5. How do you regularly keep yours there? I have read somewhere about peat in your filtration. Is that a good method to keep it constant? Or is there better means.

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Jun 2003, 20:24

It al depends on the kind of water you get in your area. Peat is good for lowering the pH of the water, so it should work.

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 10 Jun 2003, 20:31

The water im my area is just as disgusting as the average city water. Ok for human consumption but not good enough for my fish

I haul water from my parents house where they have a nice clean unpoisoned well for my fish. Does it matter how much peat? more peat lower ph? Or just a thin layer in a cartridge would be ok?

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Jun 2003, 20:39

Don't add too much peat at first (i.e. a thin layer should do). More peat=lower pH, so you don't want to overdo it the first time. It's easier to add more peat later.

Post by **Dinyar** » 11 Jun 2003, 01:03

It really dpends on the starting KH of your water. If your water has low KH, a little peat may be enough to cause a big pH crash (I learned ths from experience five years ago!). On the other hand, if your water has a high KH, even lots of peat won't change the pH much.

Start by testing KH, then, unless you have very hard water, add a little peat at a time.

As for pH, stability, peat will have your pH bouncing around. New peat will have a potentially big impact; after a few weeks, the humic acids will have leached out and it will have little or no impact until you add the next batch.

Dinyar

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 13 Jun 2003, 18:30

What I do is add rounded coral gravel to the substrate, and use API Proper pH. This combination gives a very stable pH of 6.5, less likely to crash than with peat, although the trade-off is that it hardens the water somewhat.

Post by **Dinyar** » 13 Jun 2003, 19:26

Proper pH, pH down and similar products are loaded with phosphates. Good for algae, not for fish. On some other thread somewhere on this forum, someone was talking about water softening pillows. These work in various ways, but also add things like phosphates, sodium, etc., to your water. AFAIK, the only "good" ways to soften the water from your tap is to use peat or RO/DI. Hardening is easy by comparison. Good old baking soda.

Dinyar

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 18 Jun 2003, 17:09

Baking soda certainly adds sodium to your water. I think coral gravel (which is mainly calcium carbonate) is safer, but it won't take the pH above about 7.2.

Rift Lake cichlids aren't too keen on sodium (some people add NaCl mistakenly thinking it will increase the hardness). I don't know about Rift Lake synos.

Post by **Dinyar** » 19 Jun 2003, 02:14

Chrysichthys wrote:Rift Lake c*****ds aren't too keen on sodium (some people add NaCl mistakenly thinking it will increase the hardness). I don't know about Rift Lake synos.

As you correctly note, NaCl does not affect hardness. However, some Rift Lakes such as Tanganyika have a fairly high sodium content in addition to high hardness.

Has anyone kept riverine Chrysichthys -- C. ornatus, for instance -- in moderately akaline conditions (~ ph 7.

? Most rivierine Synos do very well at this pH, but I have no experience with Chrysichthys spp. in this regard. I ask because there's an opportunity to acquire C. ornatus, and the only tank I could fit it into would be my Tanganyika tank at ~ph 7.8.

Dinyar

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 23 Jun 2003, 14:25

Well, Axelrod's says pH 9.0...bringing this thread full circle.

I don't think it would be a problem, but I haven't tried it myself. Is it an adult?