Maintenance
In order to maintain a well balanced mbuna Lake Malawi aquarium, many regular procdures must be followed. The most important to me is regular water changes. This can be achieved the easiest way by using a siphon hose. I use the Python 50 foot hose that has a convenient valve that allows water to flow either way. Once per week, I insert the Python and remove about 30% of the water while also siphoning the gravel, removing debris and old fish food. I then switch the valve and return tap water into the tank.
Tap water's pH level varies in different parts of the country and the world. African cichlids thrive in water with a pH of 8.2. My tap water pH comes out at about 7.6. There are many products out that can be used to raise the pH of water. I have been using a combination of baking soda and epsom salt to raise both the pH and general hardness of the water. I found that .25 tsp of both baking soda and epsom salt per 1.5 gallons of water steadily rose the pH and gH of the water. Also during water changes, I add a few drops of dechlorinator, as per the instructions on the bottle.
Changing and cleaning your filters is also a required part of routine maintenance. I basically run Whisper filters on all my tanks, and one Aqua Clear 500. Its just a simple process of running water through the dirty filter to clean it, or if its just plain too filthy, I replace the baggie.
That's about it for maintenance. Not too hard. Don't forget to occasionally check your pH, gH, kH, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels with a test kit. It helps you keep tabs on the water.
When I get around to it, I'll post links to the products I use.
