African Cichlads and other fish compatibility

Question
QUESTION: I was wondering what fish are compatible with African Cichlads? I have read some conflicting info, and seen some tanks set up with some different things. My son is setting up a 30 gal. tank, and he has used coral sand with some large volcanic type rocks for hiding. He also has a large artificial plant woven around in the rocks. He is using a Penguin 200 filter. He has the tank 79.4-80.5 F. He added Bio-spira night before last and got a Pleco and a Khuli loach today. After 24 hours with the Bio-spira, the pH is 8.2, ammo 1ppm, nitrite 1ppm, nitrate 40ppm(our water is hard(limestone area), and has a low nitrate level for some reason). My concern is the Khuli loach. I read in one of the articles(not yours) that loaches don't like salt, but you have said that cichlads need lake salt. The cichlad show tank at my LFS has clown loaches in it, and they are quite gregarious and seem healthy. I know not every fish from a family will be happy with the same conditions, so my question is, should I move the Khuli loach to my general tank and try a clown loach later? Or will the Khuli be OK?

ANSWER: Hi Colleen!
First,
Your water should straighten up in a day or two with the Bio Spira. It's not too bad.
I would definitely use the cichlid lake salt made by SeaChem and move the Khuli.
The cichlids can live without the salt, but not as long.

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QUESTION: I'll look for the salt. I stopped by our local chain store and could only find basic aquarium salt. So, is the Pleco OK? What about a bottom "cleaner" of some type? I know he can't have a lot of fish in a 30g tank, so I showed him some of your other recommendations for small tanks, and he is thinking over whether to have a variety of males, or the 1:3 of only two species. Until then, I'll leave the Pleco only, and maybe a bottom feeder won't be necessary. Thank you so much for your time.
ANSWER: Colleen,
If you can't find the cichlid lake salt, you can make a home recipe that is cheaper.
Here it is:
Ingredients
Epsom Salt
Aquarium Salt
Baking Soda
Instructions:
For every 5 US Gallons of water, add 1-tablespoon Epsom salt, 1-teaspoon baking soda, and 1-teaspoon aquarium salt.
Please pre-dissolve this in tap water first!

You must remember that when you do water changes, you have to replace ONLY the salts you take out.
So, each week when you change water, let's say you take out 10 gallons. Just add back enough of the ingredients listed above for 10 gallons, not 30.
As far as a bottom feeder? The pleco should do OK, but you can also get what they call an upside down catfish.
How many Cichlids do you intend to have?

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QUESTION: I can do the salt recipe, and we'll leave the pleco in. I don't know how many cichlads right now. We are trying to do this one step at a time. I know the general rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gallon of aquarium space, which doesn't leave much room. I never knew if that included fins:) I usually go to the less is more theory, but what would you think? Thanks
ANSWER: Colleen,
The inch of fish per gallon is really myth.
Just go with what you want.
Some breeders actually overstock Africans to stop aggression. When there are more fish than hiding places, nobody really becomes "boss" of the tank.
In my 30 gallon I kept 8 African Yellow labs and a pleco. They did fine.
That was about 55 inches of fish!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well, that just goes to show ya' the books aren't always right. I think my son is leaning toward the 3 females to 1 male/two species ratio, so 8 fish and 1 pleco. He is really happy to hear the 1" isn't true. He won't get his fish for a couple of weeks as he goes to swim camp and I have to catch that Khuli and move him. I figure I'm gonna' have to dismantle the tank decor to find him.

By the way, his ammonia is down to 0.5ppm and nitrites 1ppm for the last 2 days, so I figure in the next couple of days will see it perfect:)

About the salt recipe. If his pH is already 8.2, should he add baking soda? Wouldn't that raise the pH more? Or do the other salts decrease it? (I love the biological sciences, but chemistry is my weakness)

Again, thank you so much for all of your help,
Colleen

Answer
Hey Colleen.
You are doing a great job there!
The water chemistry is going great!

You are right. If the PH is already 8.2, I would skip the baking soda.
The epsom salts are for hardness. Do you have a test kit for GH and KH?
You need GH and KH over 250, so if you don't have that, I would use epsom salt and aquarium salt.
If your water is already hard, just use the salt.
Great job!