The key to beautiful healthy fish full of vibrant colors is... (Besides everything else explained on this web-site) ...Perfect Water! Sure, you could just throw them in tap water and they would probably survive. But if you want to do it right, you need to make the water perfect.

I have used many products in the past while I was experimenting and learning the trade. I started using the basic stuff you would find on the shelf, nothing special. Then I saw that Tetra® had some specialized products for Cichlids such as CichlidVital®. Being the loyalist that I am, Tetra® became my sole source for water additives and water testing.

As I read and learned more about African Cichlids and more specifically Mbuna, I saw the need to "tweak" the water a bit. A company well known for their Marine-Aquarium products had also started making themselves known for their Cichlid-Aquarium products. Now they are light-years ahead of their competitors in every aspect and Seachem® is now my sole source of water additives.

Below is a description of Seachem products that I use.

Prime - is the complete and concentrated conditioner for both fresh and salt water. It should be the first choice conditioner when setting up a new tank, adding, or changing water. Prime removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Prime converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank’s biofilter. A 250 mL bottle will treat 250 gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 500 Gallons of water.

Clarity - is the ultimate clarifier for both fresh and saltwater. It employs an advanced polymeric flocculating agent that is both reef and plant safe. Clarity is the only clarifier on the market that does it all! Clarity will clear all types of clouding. A 250 mL bottle will treat 2000 gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 4000 Gallons of water.

Stability - will rapidly and safely establish the aquarium biofilter in freshwater and marine systems, thereby preventing the #1 cause of fish death: "new tank syndrome". Stability contains a synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, and nitrate. A 250 mL bottle will treat 500 gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 1000 Gallons of water.

Liquid Malawi/Victoria Buffer - is a blend of carbonate salts designed to enhance the natural environment of cichlids by increasing hardness, buffer capacity, and pH. It is formulated to maintain a pH of 7.8-8.4. A 250 mL bottle will treat 500 gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 1000 Gallons of water.

Liquid Cichlid Lake Salt - is a chemically sound blend of salts designed to replicate the natural environment of cichlids. Use Seachem’s Cichlid Trace to restore and maintain important trace elements such as iron, manganese and iodide. A 250 mL bottle will treat 60+ gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 125 Gallons of water. (20mL treats 10 Gallons).

Cichlid Trace - is a chemically sound blend of salts designed to replicate the natural environment of cichlids. It contains all physiologically essential elements such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium. A 250 mL bottle will treat 1000 gallons of water and likewise, a 500 mL bottle will treat 2000 Gallons of water.

NOTE: If you have a 100 gallon aquarium, then you should be going through 10 gallons a week or 20 gallons bi-weekly in water changes (10% weekly or 20% bi-weekly), that is over 500 gallons a year.

ANOTHER NOTE: Mbuna love water changes! They really come alive and look their best, during and immediately after a water change. If you like brilliant colors then do them every week!

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