stocking 10g planted, ph- 8.4

[gabysapha]

Hi everyone,

I love nano tanks, but I try not to set them up. With my super hard water, I don't want to order popular nano fish for fear they won't do well. I'm thinking scarlet badis, microrasboras, CPDs...

Are there stocks for this size tank that will do well? All I can think of are livebearers like guppies, endlers, and H. formosas. And the normans lampeye killi.

I currently keep a variety of tetras, cories, and cichlids such as kribs, african butterflies, and bolivian rams. All are very hardy. My neons have done very well, for example.

But more sensitive species such as GBRs, sparkling gouramis, and badis, have done very poorly with me.

Thank you

[MiniFishRoom]

Why don't you try to lower the PH down with driftwood and almond leaves.
The almond leaves and sometimes the driftwood will leak brown dye into your water but just use aquarium charcoal filter to remove the dye and you should be set.
Also driftwood and leaves look pretty sweet in a planted tank.
I keep Scarlet Badis and all my tanks are a PH5+- due to the ADA substrate, driftwoods and leaves.

[gabysapha]

Originally Posted by MiniFishRoom

Why don't you try to lower the PH down with driftwood and almond leaves.
The almond leaves and sometimes the driftwood will leak brown dye into your water but just use aquarium charcoal filter to remove the dye and you should be set.
Also driftwood and leaves look pretty sweet in a planted tank.
I keep Scarlet Badis and all my tanks are a PH5+- due to the ADA substrate, driftwoods and leaves.

Oh yes, I forgot to add I use lots of malaysian driftwood, and there's peat moss both in the filter and under the eco-complete I use for substrate. No almond leaves.
When my tanks are first set up they read 8.6 and even 8.8. After the tank matures and the water gets stained, the readings stay steady at 8.4. My year-old shrimp tank is 8.2, though.

All the tanks have lots of hardwater marks and crustiness. White vinegar helps though!

[HybridHerp]

if your tanks are so hard, maybe try some of those african shell dweller cichlids.

[ADJAquariums]

Originally Posted by HybridHerp

if your tanks are so hard, maybe try some of those african shell dweller cichlids.

I agree, they are cool fish and arent really common at all. The only time i have ever seen them is on Youtube and i was specifically looking for them.

[gabysapha]

Hmmm. Shell dwellers would be interesting. I'd have to find a vendor here or elsewhere (Aquabid?).