Ph for SA Cichlids

[busdriver]

Anybody have any idea what the ph would be for a SA cichlid aquarium (75 gal.)

[babblefish1960]

Well, funny you should ask, it has a lot to do with the water that sits on the ground of course, but the African rift lakes for example, are hard rock, with hard water, and higher pH because of the disintegrating rocks leaching into the water. Hence the hard headed african fish. When you look at South America, it is covered in dirt more than anything else under the water, and trees and things falling and rotting. When you fall on rocks, they are hard, it hurts, when you fall on mud and rotting things, it is soft and so are the fish.

Rotting things tend toward acid when decomposing, encrusted things tend toward alkaline, so, in answer to your question, South America in general is neutral or lower as south america is rotten and corrupt, rotting tends to acid, hence acidic water conditions are most prevalent.

On average, 5.5 to 6.5 is a safe bet, though the range is out to 4.0 to 7.5 or so. Was that clear enough? I can explain in more detail if you would prefer.

[busdriver]

That's fine, thanks babble.

[BigDaddy]

Really depends on what fish you intend to keep, and what they've been accustomed to... You can keep discus in hard water, or you can have breeding frenzies in a pH of 5...

Lots of variables... but the quick answer is anything below 7 is a good start for the majority of the SA's people keep.

[busdriver]

Thanks BD, I was worried that it wasn't high enough!