Water chemistry for breeding tanks

[StarLord728]

Im dipping my feet in the realm of breeding, but with not much background knowledge (Grab the bull by the horns.....trial by fire....kinda guy) and just wondering how to keep my pH hovering around the same even during water changes. I have no way of having pre-treated water/RO/DI. I have well water and thats not going to change. I have alder cones and almond leaves in there right now and have sera super peat but unsure how to use it right now anyway. So im just wondering how to keep it between 6.0-7.0 without major drops due to the water change. My Macmasteri has ich and im assuming the stress from water changes? More small water changes or weekly large changes?


Also what are ideal conditions for triple cacs?

Working on getting some gear like pH meter etc.

Inquire more questions please, im a noob so not entirely sure what needs addressing

 

[MacZ]

My Macmasteri has ich and im assuming the stress from water changes?

Unlikely, honestly. I estimate ich outbreaks are by 90% due to the density of parasites in the tank and substrate and only 10% are the fishes immune system weakened by stress. As Apistogramma are chewing the sand a lot they are highly at risk to contract it via the substrate from Tetras and others. Did you have an outbreak before and what did you treat it with?

More small water changes or weekly large changes?

Weekly 50% is very much the best combination of dilution and frequenzy.

Also what are ideal conditions for triple cacs?

As they are a domestic strain, there are no actual "ideal" conditions. If you want to be "accurate", I'd try to emulate the conditions the wild form is used to. Seriouslyfish.com is a good source for that.

Working on getting some gear like pH meter etc.

A TDS/EC meter is the better investment. Also in certain low EC/TDS levels a pH meter might not work correctly. Below a EC of 100µSI/cm my pH meter doesn't give reliable readings.

 

[StarLord728]

I literally had nothing in this tank before, they were setup FOR this reason. I got the fish from a reputable dealer and the only other fish that are in there are L# pleco from same guy, that came in meds.

Thank you for the responses on other parts, very much noted.

 

[MacZ]

I literally had nothing in this tank before, they were setup FOR this reason. I got the fish from a reputable dealer and the only other fish that are in there are L# pleco from same guy, that came in meds.

Even from reputable sellers Ich can be contracted. Also it sounds like the fish is quite new in your collection, so treat it thoroughly, usually unless new fish come in with a certain higher frequenzy you only have to treat ich once and it doesn't come up again.

 

[FishMonkey]

Macmasteri do fairly well in hot water, ich does not so it's probably worth cranking that temperature.

"At 86F (30C) there is some indication that ich either a.) cannot reproduce or b.) cannot attach itself. Either way, if your fish can tolerate those temperatures (up to 89F or 31C) temperature increases might be a viable option for eradication of ich without medication"

Note "indication" & "might be a viable option" being key words, some people still end up using meds but the high temperature will definitely help speed things up.

 

[StarLord728]

Yea thats how I would do it with my other fish. I had discus so i cranked their tank up to 86 always. No ich. These guys are sitting around 81. Will adjust the temp and do it that way, has always worked in the past with GBR etc.

 

[StarLord728]

Im pretty sure its just because I slack on water changes..Im in college for geophysics(dual major), i just dont have the time sometimes...but I dont ever go past 10 days. a few days past Sunday(waterday) and I make myself do it. but I only use sponge filters so the water isnt getting filtered that well. Just cycled and low density foam sponge filter. 1 tank has a filter and that one is going okay. Once semester is over I intend to devote more time over summer to the breeding processes.

 

[FishMonkey]

The problem is these fish are very sensitive to nitrates.

If you're going to slack on water changes make sure your aquarium is set up to handle it, keep the filter clean, vac up poop, understock, nitrate removing media, ect.

 

[StarLord728]

I think once finals are over next week that Im going to run to Petco and get Aquaclear HOBs for the remaining tanks and get Purigen, but i have blackwater and Im one of the few who actually love the look of it. Question is, will my water still be acidic using Purigen and just clear or if that will mess up the pH entirely? Not sure that all works out....

 

[MacZ]

The problem is these fish are very sensitive to nitrates.

If you're going to slack on water changes make sure your aquarium is set up to handle it, keep the filter clean, vac up poop, understock, nitrate removing media, ect.

Instead of vacuuming rather a good layer of mulm. Especially in blackwater. Nitrate removing media can also be replaced with emersed plants like pothos. A filter ... clean? I mean yes, the pump, but the media should only be cleaned when it starts to clogg. I agree with waterchanges and understocking, though.

I think once finals are over next week that Im going to run to Petco and get Aquaclear HOBs for the remaining tanks and get Purigen, but i have blackwater and Im one of the few who actually love the look of it. Question is, will my water still be acidic using Purigen and just clear or if that will mess up the pH entirely? Not sure that all works out....

Real Blackwater should have significantly lower nitrate levels. You noted that you don't have a source of RO but are on a well, so you only have what they call Faux Blackwater. Tinted but completely different water chemistry. That is, unless the well water is extremely soft. Without RO (doesn't have to have DI) blackwater is not achievable in an aquarium. First the KH has to be lowered, then acids of some kind (preferrably humic acids) added. For a botanical style blackwater tank KH has to be zero.

I run my tank with 2/3 RO, I am at the point that I have to add fertilizer or my plants melt away. I dose an absolute minimum of ferts after a waterchange to about 20mg/l and by the end of the week before the next waterchange it's down to 5, and below detection between waterchange and adding new fertilizers. Without the fertilizers I'm at 100µSI/cm EC and 40-60 mg/l TDS, which is still too high for blackwater, but close enough. pH is at 6.0 which took ages with lots of dead leaves in the leaf litter bed.