Re: Cacatuoides EGGS!!! Yiippee,, I'm a eg

[Ken Laidlaw <K.Laidlaw@roe.ac.uk>]

> I was wondering just what steps you go thru to condition your water. Mainly the
> peat usage. I am using pure RO water, adding trace elements, adding sodium
> bicarbonate for buffering, and using Aqua Lab's PH Minus.(lots of phosphate!) I
> dont have any problem getting the PH down to 6.5, but I would like to try and set
> up a tank for my Iniridae and I've been told this fish needs aq PH of 5.0 or
> lower. 

Using pure RO water you should be able to get the pH down 
to something approaching 5.0 by filtering the water through 
peat.  In my experience these pH lowering chemicals are a 
bit unpredictable and it is a pain to keep adding them to 
get the desired effect.

It is probably the sodium bicarbonate which is increasing 
the pH.  AFAIK this does not increase the hardness (i.e. 
the buffering capacity) but increases the pH.  If you leave 
this out them the pH should probably drop as you require.

If the pH does get down to 5 them keep a close eye on it as 
it is easy for it to drop even lower to a point which is 
too acidic for the fish.

I used to have a pair of A.iniridae which spawned a couple 
of times, no success with the pH at about 6.5.  I therefore 
agree that they probably need lower pH (or perhaps lower 
hardness that can go hand in hand with the low pH) for a 
successful spawning.  The male iniridae is quite a site 
when he is courting the female with thelarge dorsal fin 
raised.

Ken.