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Hi! Thanks for all the invaluable advice I got from sites like these, i was able tos et up my 29 gallon freshwater tank. I have had minimal problems with it and really love the new hobby. My tank has given me hours of pleasure for the last 6 months.

I just wanted to check with the people here about these ideas/issues:

1) Water parameter issues: I do a 20% water change every 2 weeks and keep the temperature at 77 deg F. My pH always seems to be low- about 6.5-6.8. I have used pH increaser twice but do not want to overdo it. I read somewhere that I have to get my active buffer-levels up. I also read that coral in a sack kept in the tank will do it. Should I try? Any suggestion? Also, my water always seems to be on the harder side. What can be done about that?

2) Water treatment suggestions: I have been using Bio-safe as a dechlor and Stress Coat at each water change that I do every 2 weeks. Someone suggested that 'Prime' works as both and lasts forever. Anyone has any experience in that?

3) Fish compatibility: Right now I have in my tank:
5 spotted corys
3 Platys
1 male cherry barb
1 mystery snail

I feed them with flake food, sinking pellets and an algae disc once a day. I hesitatingly have added a beautiful Betta to the tank and is doing fine. Now, I have started loving Angelfish and want to get one (or a pair). Will i go with the betta. If not, do I keep the angelfish or the betta? If they are incompatible due to being territorial, I am thinking of getting the betta out in a bowl for a couple of days, then get a pair of angels and add them together in the tank. This way there will be no 'previous inhabitant of the tank' to bully the new entrants into its territory. What are your views of this whole situation? If I do get an Angelfish, what special precautions should I take?

4) Tanks suggestions: I saw some brown algae on the sides of the tank. What is the best way to get rid of it and to prevent it? Should the snail not have eaten it? I have scrubbed it away for now, but it was a tough job and I really had to scrub hard to clear it.
Also, all areas of my tank are not well lit- the sides do not get enough light. I am using a 20W Colormax lamp that I got from petsmart. Do you have any suggestions for a lamp that lights all areas of the tank? I do not have natural plants in my aquarium.

Thanks for reading my (rather-long and multiple-questioned) post! It just reflects my interest in keeping the fish healthy and happy.

Thanks again and please feel free to share your views!

-Sagar (I am of east-Indian origin. Incidentally, my name means 'the ocean' in my tongue. Maybe I should shift to saltwater tanks!!!)

Hi Sagar

Hmm, where to start... with # 1 I suppose...

Water parameter issues: 20 % every two weeks, that sounds fair enough. if youre up for it you may want to up that to 20% weekly, but you're probably fine as it is. Make sure to monitor your ntirates: if they're above 20-30ppm, start doing more frequent water changes. Don't worry about having a specific pH. Whatever comes out of your tap is fine; your fish will ajust to it. Trying to control it with chemicals just causes pH swings, which your fish will NOT appreciate. Steady is the key to water params. in terms of temp, pH, etc.

I'd also avoid messing around with coral in your filter at this point. Even if your KH (carbonate hardness) levels seem low, as long as you havent seen any wild pH swings you're fine... and I'm assuming that, since all of your fish are alive, you havent had any wild pH swings. For a more detailed explanation of pH, KH and other water quality issues, check [link=this]http:// www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/[/link] out.

Water treatment suggestions: Havent used either of thos, but most dechlorinators work fine - as long as they treat both chlorine and chloramine

Stocking: The fish you have listed there all seem fine. But let me get this straight: you also added a betta too, right? If so, that's fine, but I don't think you should add angel fish with the betta. I'm not too sure about adding angelfish to a tank of that size in any case - they grow quite large in both directions, so they may be a little much. I'd stick with the betta, and should you decide you MUST have angels, you could always upgrade your tank size, which you're bound to do any way
Then again, I believe there's one member here who has angels in a 30ish gallon tank, so I may be wrong.

Other tank issues: The brown algae you have usually occurs in fairly new tanks and will go away on its own in time once your tank matures. For now, keep scrubbing. There is also a type of fish called an otocinclus that LOVE brown diatomic algae. Read about them and see if you want to add a few - they'll clear your tank of the stuff but after that you'll have to continue feeding them on your own. But do make sure to read up on them first - it's not really a good idea to get a fish just to perform a temporary function.

As for lighting, if you don't have live plants then I'd stick with the lighting you have. Brighter lights will only create more algae in your tank.

Whew! Ok, I think that's all i can say for now. Hope that helped!

---

Back in the saddle!

1) Water parameter issues: -- if your pH is staying stable, and you don't have fish that absoluely require a higher pH, keep it the way it is! I'd love to have that kind of water If your water is hard, it should keep it from swining, and you've got a good thing going on None of your current fish require a higher pH at this time. If you wanted to, you could use some crushed coral in a nylon filter bag or clean stocking and add it to raise your hardness, then pH should follow. You could also just use a pH increaser if your water is on the hard side, as it'll buffer it and keep it from swining.

2) Water treatment suggestions: -- Stress coat IS a dechlor, and an awesome one at that, just use the Stress coat alone.

3) Fish compatibility: -- I'd hesitate to add them to the tank as well.. you're probably better off keeping them seperate if you go the angelfish route. A 2.5 gallon tank with the betta and some dwarf frogs makes a nice centerpiece

4) Tanks suggestions: -- The brown algae is common... high silica levels in the tank from tap water or foreign rocks, higher phospate levels from food can cause it as well. Bristlenose plecos will munch it up You're not going to be able to upgrade the lighting w/o getting a new fixture, sadly.

Good luck,
Tim

Thanks a lot for the prompt replies!

I guess I'll stop fiddling around with the pH and the Betta gets a small 2.5gal home. I like the idea of adding dwarf frogs in it. How many should I add? Will they ge aggressive? I've read a post on a frog not letting go of the Betta's tail!

Sagar

I have two in mine, and they get along great

As to the third question: I have 2 angelfish (quite large), and a betta in my tank. They have shown no interest in each other. Personally, I would say you could add an angelfish to that tank easily. Your stocking is low, and the ph is low, which angelfish love. I wouldnt worry about the betta, an Angelfish can easily take care of itself.

Personally, and this is just me, because Im sure tons of people will disagree, I believe a 2.5g tank is far too small for a betta. I believe after my experience that these fish are far happier in a larger home, as they are busy active fish (mine never sits still for more than 10 minutes at a time), and really love both space and live plants.(Think 10 gallons or more). Really, would you want to live in a 1room 500sq foot apartment, or would you prefer a 2000 sq foot home with multiple rooms if you had the choice? If you answer yes to the second choice, then I would say your betta would too. Remember, Bettas dont really come from mud puddles as has been suggested in the past, they come from wide open slow flowing waterways in rice paddys, which are often 4 feet deep or more, and often spread out over many miles of marshy land. I believe bettas love open space. But eh, its inevitably your decision, and you just cant teach some old dogs new tricks.


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