First time user

[5354chilids]

I am first time user on this site.
In Edmonton, Canada, we have good water but the PH is about 7.3. I have a 340 gallon tank but I am getting bored with just tropical fishes eg like silver dollar, tinfoil barbs. Could I slowly increase the PH to adapt to chiclids? And to what scale on the PH? Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

5354chiclids

[dom]

First of all, what type of cichlid you prefer to keep? Lake of Malawi? Lake of Tangayika? Center American or Southen American? Asian?

You can add the dry coral or coral chips. (put the crashed coral chips into a bag.) then you can get the bag of coral inside your filter box. So that, the coral chips wont spoilt the setup of the tank.

Lake of Malawi or Tangayika biotope setup almost the same. You can just use the river sand or sea sand with some rocks. (remember must wash the sand) More coral chips you add in. The PH level will be higher.

If CA or SA, you can use the same sand bed. But with bigger piece of rock + drift wood. (I think your tank is suitable to keep CA/SA. coz they are huge.)

I was keeping Malawi cichlids inside my 100 gallon tank. The Mbuna breeding with fries. It is fun to have them and easier to take care of them. You just need to maintain the PH level and feed them twice per day. Dont over feed them.

[5354chilids]

Hi Dom,
Thanks for the info. I have somemore questions for you and any advice for a beginner is much appreciated.
1. How many kinds of Malawi chiclids that are compatible that can be put into a 340 gallon aquarium?
2. Can I use my existing tank that has no sand gravel but just slates stack with a lot of caves in between? The reason I ask is that my tank is 31 inches deep and is impossible to clean any gravel which I had in the past.
3. What is the average PH for Malawi chiclids?
4. In your experience with Chiclids, is Malawi your best choice and are they the easiest of the chiclids to keep.

Thanks.
5354chiclids

[dom]

Hi,

1) 340 gallon tank is a huge tank. You can hv a very nice setup. If me, I will get around 50-70 Haps in there. (there are different type of haps. They look fierce and more colors) If with correct biotope, some of them will grow to 8-10inch long. But sometime they will fight with each other till die. This is very common for cichlid.

2) Setup of a tank is depends or follow the feeling or view of the owner. You can just use whatever you have and setup. But the correct biotope shd hv sand bed. I was having the malawi setup with sand bed and rocks. And I never wash the sand bed or rocks. Why need to wash the sand bed or rocks? Since the bacteria growing and better not to disturb.

3) I kept my Malawi PH level at least 7.8... highest is 9.

4) The CA and SA cichlids are much more easier to keep. But they are huge than malawi. (just my 2 cents) Malawi sometime are quite sensitive with PH and temperature. And cant over feed them.

Space of the tank is a very important issue for any cichlids.

[GTR]

hey dom! u oso here ar? hahaha! never invite me come ar u? haha!