Mbu: PH..GH...KH...Help!

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:30 pm

Hello...

Still cycling my tank to perfection for my new mbu.
Currently at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5ppm nitrate.

I'm now curious as to what PH level, GH/KH level the water should be at.

Any ideas...please...

Also i have a couple of pictus cats in there, i have been told that these may not be the best companions. I dont want to lose them, so any success stories of these fishies living in harmony would be great to hear!
I was also thinking about getting a couple of clown loach to join them all, what do you think?

Cheers

perek · Post by **perek** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:18 pm

How big of a tank do you have? You do realize that MBU need a 1000 gallon tank right? Also they are the most difficult type of puffer to keep, next to Fugu.

perek · Post by **perek** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:19 pm

http://www.pufferlist.com

Bred · Post by **Bred** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:23 pm

There is no absolute value of pH or GH which must be maintained - stability is more important than particular numbers. It is recommended that KH be 3 degrees or higher.

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 5:45 pm

My current tank size is 120g (5ft long x 2ft high x 1.8ft deep)

I have been doing my research for nearly 3 months now. I do realise that my mbu will grow to about 2.5ft. I plan to move him to a customized built tank (7ft x 3ft x 4ft at least) in a couple of years. At the moment he is only 4"

I realise how important these little guys are and thats why i'm doing all my homework before I introduce him to his new home. As you can imagine there is alot of contradicting information out there, from both the net and the LFS. Thats why all advice is welcome.

Thanks for the tip on the PH levels, I think I will try to match what the LFS has. Hopefully this will make the move a little easier for him.

Thanks

Post by **RTR** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:43 pm

It is fine to match the LFS water for the transition to your tank, but afterward you are likely to be far better off allowing the water to be what your tap/source water is, provided that it is suitable at all. These are both river and large lake fish, so can take a substantial range of pH and GH and KH. The most important thing long term, as already stated, is stability. For ease of upkeep and lowest operating costs, the less you need to do to your source water the better for both you and the fish.

What is the disinfectant in your water supply?

What is the KH of your water supply?

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:50 pm

Sorry, I dont know what you mean by disinfectant in the water supply. Our water in the south of the UK is extremely hard. I know its full of chlorine and flouride and all sorts of other chemicals I can't spell!

The KH Levels in my tank are currently at about 12dh. The GH is at 16dh
and the PH is at 8.0

This all seems very high to me. Am I wrong?

Thanks

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:54 pm

KH of water SUPPLY is about the same as what is currently in the tank

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:58 pm

actually its more like 15dh....
i will shut up now

Post by **RTR** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:45 pm

The disinfectant is the chemical added to the water to kill excess bacteria - normally either chlorine or chloramine. Those two require different handling to make the water fish-safe.

The KH of the water is fine for T. mbu. Just do not try adjusting the pH with commercial buffers, it is good as is.

Pamela · Post by **Pamela** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:53 pm

Whereabouts are you? I'm in Oxford...the water's very hard here, and my guys (two F8s) seem to be thriving just fine...it's what puffers seem to like.
Pami.

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:21 am

I am in Suffolk. Not too far from Oxford.

So what are you water parameters?

I guess maybe I am being over cautious. Its just I have heard that water chemistry is a priority when it comes to puffers.

I was just curious as to whether there is an optimum level for PH, KH,GH. Can it be dangerous if they are too high or too low?

My tank has only been cycling for 3 weeks, maybe the filters are not fully mature yet. Will this make a difference to the levels?

Thanks

Post by **RTR** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:45 am

T. mbu lives and breeds across a very wide range of pH/KH/GH, from the wide seasonal variation of the Congo main channels from the dry to the flood, to the highly stable hard alkaline water of Lake Tanganyika. You are in no danger of being suboptimal for the fish so long as your water has sufficent KH to buffer through the massive bioloads these fish put on the tank nitrification and heterotrophic baterial populations. You have high KH source water, so that is not an issue. Your only water issue likely will be keeping nitrate at good tank levels. You do have or will get a Python water changer (or comparable system for partials), right?

boomer · Post by **boomer** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:01 pm

What's a python ?

At the moment I use a ten litre bucket and a gravel syphon.

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Mbu: PH..GH...KH...Help!

Mbu: PH..GH...KH...Help!