[nixalba]

Hello all!

I had a 40g planted tank set up for a few years now. Originally it was stocked with various tetras and a couple algea eaters, corys, etc. They've all died off and now there is only amano shrimp left in the aquarium.

The tank is filled with crypts and there is driftwood. It hasn't had regular water changes and the filter hasn't been changed at all since the last fish left. The pH is 7.8 (our tap water is practically off the scale), and of course ammonia, nitrite, nitrates are all 0. I forgot to test the hardness but will do so today.

I would like to restock the tank again. I think I'm going to stick with just one type and get either a school or just a couple pairs depending of which species I go with.

That is where I need help deciding. I've wanted to get Blue Rams for a while but what I've read is they like more acidic water. There's no way (without going RO) that I can water with that low pH. However, from more reading I've been doing today, it seems that most fish will do fine in most pH levels as long as it is steady.

So fish suggestions for a high pH planted tank(with small shrimp)?
Thanks!

 

[Higher Thinking]

Yea you're right that most fish will do alright with pH ranges out of their normal, but you must make sure the fish you're looking at is in that category. I keep a breeding pair of german blue rams in a tank with pH about 7.5. You could also start using co2 and that will bring your pH down. 7.8 isn't really that high. You can also get various rainbow fish which grow into beautiful colors and they typically like higher pH.

 

[AshleyMac]

I have a high ph as well and I've been able to keep fish out of their "preferred" range just fine. You just want to make sure that you are keeping your level stable. You should also look at your hardness - that would probably make more of a difference in being able to keep GBR than your ph.

 

[nixalba]

OK, thank you for confirming my reading from earlier today.

I believe even when I had the co2 running, it was still higher on the scale but I can start it up again if that will help any.

Rainbowfish are another I was looking at.

Here is what the tank looks like right now. Yup, it's very overgrown. I've left it alone for just about a year...no water changes proper but I've been topping up the water level(which it needs right now, haha). The lights are old and need replacing. There's no CO2 running and the filter probably needs maintenance. Filter is a Fluval...will have to check which model. Plants don't seem to mind...they are still sending up new sprouts wherever one fits!

 

[VeeSe]

I think some more crypts would spice up your tank and make it look really nice. You should add some more.

 

[Noahma]

I third the Rainbow fish idea.

These ones are my favorite
Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Melanotaenia&species=herbertaxelrodi&id=816

Followed by

Melanotaenia lacustris
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Melanotaenia&species=lacustris&id=821

or a large group of
Pseudomugil furcatus
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Pseudomugil&species=furcatus&id=222

would be awesome.

 

[nixalba]

I think some more crypts would spice up your tank and make it look really nice. You should add some more.

I agree! :tongue:




I will visit the aquarium shop beside my work this week and see what's available. And I'm going to start thinning out and cleaning up that jungle!

 

[BBradbury]

Fish for a high pH Tank

Hello nix...

I think your concern about your water's pH is unfounded. Tropical fish prefer more alkaline water and a pH as high as 8.5 is tolerable. As long as the pH is constant your fish will adapt. I've never worried about pH, hardness or any of that and haven't tested the water in my tanks for a long time, years even. I do change half the water in my tanks every week and service the filter equipment and my fish are fine.

If you want fish recommendations then some hardy kinds are the "Livebearers" like Fancy Guppies, Platys, Swordtails, Mollies are a little more particular about water conditions, so stratch them off your list. Most Tetras and Zebra Danios are good too.

Once you acclaimate the new ones, just change half the water and service the filter equipment once a week and you're good.

B

 

[JustJen]

Between several tanks, I'm keeping balloon rams, german blue rams, gold rams, and electric blue rams (2 each) in 8.2-8.4, hard water. I took quite a long time (several hours) to acclimate most of them, but they're all doing well in my tanks. The electric blues were a new addition this weekend, so we'll have to see how they do, but everyone else seems to have adapted. They may not breed in water that isn't ideal, but my experience has been that most will eventually adapt.

I also keep angels, dwarf gouramis, red eye tetras, mollies, platys, endlers, bettas, etc. in my water. I'm trying cardinals again, but they haven't been in the tank long enough for me to say I can get them to adjust. I will say, the only reason I'm trying them again is that I found a source for tank raised cardinals that are supposedly hardier and better able to adapt than wild caughts.

 

[JasonG75]

If you go the Rainbow route remember the M/F ratio. Males wont color up nice unless there are females to color up for.
Raindows are very very pretty fish.

 

[londonloco]

I have 9 semi planted to fully planted tanks, depending on the substrate, my pH ranges from 7.6 to 8.1. I keep Cichlids (Alto Sumbu's, multi's, punks, and calvus), Rainbows (banded and furcata's), betta, neons, serpae's, black skirt tetra's, gold tetra's, bn's, lfbn's, cory's, endlers, guppies, white cloud minnows, oto's, nerites, I'm probably missing a few. I do weekly water changes on all but one of my tanks (trying an NPT). If you up your waterchanges, I'm thinking you might have more success.

 

[kuni]

Turquoise rainbows would be a perfect choice. They don't get quite as large as other common rainbows like boesemani, and they live in a high-pH lake in the wild.

You can even get them at Petsmart, but check over the fish carefully - I've seen batches with uneven tails, which means the genetics aren't great. I've also seen really nice ones there too.

 

[nixalba]

Cool. I still can't decide which species I want to go with!

I get all fish and fish related things almost exclusively from Big Al's and sometimes from the local club. I used to get fish sometimes from SuperPet before Petsmart bought them out.

I have time to figure it out though. Gotta clear out some of that jungle and replace some equipment