Feeding

Variety is the key.  You will find most African cichlids (especially tank-raised fish) are not too choosy when it comes to feeding time.  To maintain good health, however, it is important to feed a variety of foods.  I use a basic cichlid flake as the main staple and alternate with occasional feedings of cichlid pellets, spirulina flakes, frozen (or live when available) brine shrimp or daphnia. 

Better to feed small amounts frequently rather than larger amounts.  I generally feed twice a day (morning and evening) because of my schedule.  At times that routine becomes only once a day and the fish are none the worse.  I try to feed fry more frequently, but if I can't because of schedule, I will make sure there are some stones covered with a rich algae growth in their tank for them to graze on.

Temperature

Range of 74-82F is ideal.  I try to maintain a steady temp of 78F and find they do extremely well.

For fry tanks I try to keep the temp a little higher (80-82) since increased water temp increases metabolism, which in turn makes the fish eat more and grow faster. 

I often lower the temp in tanks with many aggressive males.  Lower temps lower metabolism and aggressive activity slows somewhat.

pH Level

This is the level of alkalinity or acidity of the water.  In the original habitats of the Rift Lakes, the water is alkaline.  In the aquarium, African cichlids can adapt to a wide range of pH.  The key is to not make any adjustments to pH which are rapid.  Rapid adjustment can cause your fish to go into shock and die.  Anything above the neutral level of 7.0 is acceptable.  However, 7.5-8.5 is more of an optimal range.  If you live in an area where the public water supply leans toward acidity, you will definitely need to add chemicals made for adjusting the pH.  Actually, common bicarbonate of soda works very well and is inexpensive.   Admittedly, I rarely check the pH level of my aquariums.  I live in an area fortunate to have an alkaline water supply and routine water changes keep the pH at an acceptable level.

Filtration

There are many types of filtration on the market and it is difficult to choose which is best.  I would encourage you to stay away from undergravel filters (UGF) for the simple reason that they must remain covered with your substrate to be effective and cichlids are constantly digging and moving the gravel around, which renders them ineffective.

An effective outside power filter is your best choice.  Make sure you buy one which has an adequate flow rate for your tank size and be sure to clean it periodically to keep it in proper working order.  I am a great fan of the Hagen AquaClear line of power filters and have been using them for about 15 years.  I use a 500 series on my 125 gallon, 300 series on my 55's, and 200 series on my 40 gallon tanks.   I generally remove the carbon pack and replace it with a second sponge block.   The sponge block provides great mechanical and biological filtering. And they will last several years and continue their effectiveness if you simply rinse them out every few weeks.

Water Changes

In a closed environment like an aquarium the water quality can quickly deteriorate, especially if you have the tank too heavily stocked, feed excessively, or have an ineffective filtration unit (most frequently caused by dirty filters).  All the experts suggest that smaller, frequent water changes are the best maintenance regiment.  They generally suggest at least 10% a week as a minimum. 

Substrate

It is not required that you use crushed coral or any other special substrate in African tanks.  However, crushed coral, dolomite (limestone), etc. can have some positive effects.  These substrates help to buffer the pH to maintain the proper level of alkalinity for a healthier tank.

Most Africans are diggers and can rearrange the aquascape as quickly as you get it set up.  A substrate covering of gravel 2-3" deep is sufficient.
 

Aggression Control

One fact to remember if you plan to keep African cichlids is that they are aggressive fish.  Even the mildest temperaments are aggressive when compared to other common tropical species.  Some species are more aggressive than others but it is difficult to generalize since individual specimens often defy the generalizations about their species.

I have found that Melanochromis and Pseudotropheus species are usually on the upper end of the African cichlid aggression scale while Aulonocara and Labidochromis are usually on the lower end of that same scale.