Tank issues - and API Proper PH 8.2 (8 fish have died so far and counting)

[mcg2026]

I have seen some use crushed coral as a ph buffer for afircans just as I have myself used driftwood and peat to change my water quality to suite a purpose.  like everyone has said here rasing your ph to fast causes more harm than good.  Unless you are dealing with wilds you really need to be carefull.  many cichlids now days are born and rasied in captivity and are capable of handling a wide range of water quality but with in reason.  Consitency is much better and safer for your fish than trying to aclimated them to a different climate.  Really glad to hear the your fish are doing much better.  I am fortunate to have tap water that is hard and is around 8.4ph.  the only thing I add to my tank is aquarium salt when needed other than that I used api stress coat and api natural trace.  The nice thing about natural trace is it adds all the nesecarry minerals without changing the water quality and I use the api aquarium salt if they ever get sick.  doing back to back water changes can be done but should only be done if it is not going to rapidly change your water quality.  most people would disagree and thats ok because it is not an exact science and there are many ways of doing things but I do 20% water changes on all my tanks everynight in order to keep my nitrates as low as possible.  Good luck and again I am sorry about your friends. I sucks to lose our fish..

[four_by_ken]

...but I do 20% water changes on all my tanks everynight in order to keep my nitrates as low as possible. 

How many fish do you have in the tanks and what size tanks?  This seems way excessive to me.

[mcg2026]

I have multiple tanks form the range of 55 to 150.  lol like I said most would not agree with me on doing a 20% water change every night but in keeping up with it and keeping the water quality where I do and the fact that it is a small enough water change it keeps my fish from getting stressed out, gived them great water quality not to mention I am getting good growth for my show tanks.  Like I said I know it seems excessive but it works for me and most will not agree or see it that way. 

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

I suppose people who run automatic drip systems essentially are doing the same thing !

[four_by_ken]

I have multiple tanks form the range of 55 to 150.  lol like I said most would not agree with me on doing a 20% water change every night but in keeping up with it and keeping the water quality where I do and the fact that it is a small enough water change it keeps my fish from getting stressed out, gived them great water quality not to mention I am getting good growth for my show tanks.  Like I said I know it seems excessive but it works for me and most will not agree or see it that way.

To each his own.  As long as I dont have to do it.     I have enough to do each night without daily water changes.

A clean tank is a clean tank... how every it is done doent matter... just that it IS done.