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IM A NEWCOMER TO THE HOBBY AND I HAVE A 10 GALLON SETUP WITH NATURAL PLANTS, UNDERGRAVEL FILTER WITH AIR STONES AND A WHISPER POWER FILTER, I HAVE NO ROCKS OR DRIFTWOOD AT THE MOMENT, INSTEAD HAVE PLASTIC DECORATIONS. MY GRAVEL IS OF NATURAL ORIGIN, MEANING IT WAS EXTRACTED FROM A RIVER AND SOLD TO ME BY MY LFS. ITS ORIGIN SEEMS TO BE OF A RIVER MOUTH SOMEWHERE IN COSTA RICA, THUS IT CONTAINS SMALL PIECES OF SHELLS OF MARINE ORIGIN IN A VERY SMALL QUANTITY. MY TAP WATER IS ALSO VERY VERY HARD, I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO GET AN ACCURATE MEASUREMENT FROM THE TEST KIT BUT IT IS INDEED HARD AS ROCK, I HAVE MEASURED PH FROM THE TAP AND IT READS A FLAT 7. MY TANKS PH IS STUCK AT 8 AND WILL NOT BUDGE NEITHER WITH WATER CHANGES OR PH REDUCERS OR BUFFERS WHICH I STAY AWAY FROM (FRANKLY WHO WANTS TO ADD SULFURIC ACID TO THEIR FISH`S HABITAT).

TO WHAT EXTENT WILL THOSE SMALL FRAGMENTS OF SHELL AFFECT MY TANKS PH? COULD MY HARD WATER BE A FACTOR IN MY PH DEMISE? AND WILL I BE ABLE TO REGULATE PH IN THE LONG RUN (MAYBE WITH PEAT MOSS) AND IMPROVE MY FISH`S LIVING CONDITIONS OR SHOULD I FLAT OUT REMOVE THE GRAVEL AND/OR GET A WATER FILTER FOR MY TAP WATER SOURCE? WILL MY FISH LIVE OK AT THIS PH AND GET ACCUSTOMMED TO THE ALKALINITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT?

I HAVE A 10 GALLON TANK about a month old (50cm by 25 cm), 5 dwarf gouramis(sunset and blue powder), 2 rummynosed tetras, 2 green flame tetras, 2 cardinal tetras, 1 red phantom tetra(lost the other red phantom to cotton mouth), 1 hoplos cat, 1 metae cat, 1 clown loach. I understand now that the tank may seem somewhat overcrowded and that the schooling fish need more individuals to group with. I am currently cycling a 50 gallon tank to give my little friends a better life and to correct those deficits.

WOULD APPRECCIATTE ANY HELP OR COMMENTS THAT MAY AID MY SITUATION. THANKS.

Hi
Welcome to FP!
I think you probably hit the nail on the head when you
mention that the local aquarium gravel contains shell
fragments. That is one way that we raise the pH into the
"8" region and hold it there for fish with an affinity
for harder water and higher pHs.

Thing is, I don't know what is available in Costa Rica.
In the states our gravel is primarly a quartz base with
no carbonates. You should endeavor to replace that gravel
with "regular" aquarium gravel from the states or return
to the LFS and try to get a more quartz based gravel.
Quartz is inert and will not affect your pH or GH.

Part of the problem could be the water itself.
You might try drawing a clean glass of drinking water.
Let it stand for 24 hours to degas and then test the pH.
It probably has increased some.

Lowering the pH and hardness can be done naturally by
adding peat moss to the tank, or you can dilute it with
either distilled water or RO water, both of which can be
a pain and expensive as well. Personally, I would resort
to chemicals only as the last resort. One that I would use
is called "pH Down" and while it is available at nearly any
LFS, you can also get it for a fraction of the cost from
any swimming pool supply company. Its the same thing but
comes packaged in jugs and sold by the pound instead of fractions of an ounce.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Another problem is that you are severly overstocked. Clown loaches get 6- inches long. Also, you should only keep 1 dwarf gourami in a ten gallon. Another thing, the tetras do not have a proper school. I would work on your stock before I would look at the PH.

-Vincent

MR. FRANK,

I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PROMPT AND KNOWLEDGABLE RESPONSE. IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATTED.

I USED THE NATURAL RIVER GRAVEL IN AN EFFORT TO STICK TO THE REAL ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO REPLICATE THE NATURAL HABITAT AND BECAUSE IT WAS DARK COLORED AND BRING OUT THE FISH`S COLOR. AT THAT POINT I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE GRAVEL`S SOURCE WAS CLOSE TO THE RIVER MOUTH AND THUS WAS NOT WEARY OF USING IT. ILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND WILL REPLACE THE GRAVEL WITH STORE BOUGHT AQUARIUM GRAVEL WHICH IS IMPORTED FROM THE STATES AND/OR CHINA (HAGEN, PENN PLAX AND PURE WATER PEBBLE ARE BRANDS WE GET), AS FOR THE TYPE OF ROCK ORIGIN OF OUR RIVERS I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

I WILL DEFINETELY CHECK THE TAP WATER`S PH AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR 24 HOURS. IT MUST HAVE A PART IN THE MATTER FOR I HAVE A 5 GALLON TANK WITH REGULAR AQUARIUM GRAVEL AND THE PH IS 7.5. IVE ACTUALLY TRIED TACKLING THE HARD WATER ISSUE BY ADDING DARK WATER EXTRACT LAST NIGHT, ONCE I ARRIVE HOME ILL CHECK THE HARDNESS TO SEE THE RESULTS.

APPRECIATTE ALL YOUR HELP AND WILL TAKE ACTION TO CORRECT MY CURRENT SITUATION AND TO ADVERT SUCH ISSUES IN MY FUTURE 50 GALLON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

THANK YOU BUDZILLA,

OVERSTOCKING SITUATION IS SOON TO BE HANDLED FOR I BOUGHT A 50 GALLON TANK AND CURRENTLY SETTING IT UP TO HOUSE THE CROWDED STOCK AND THE LOW SCHOOL ATTENDANCE NUMBERS OF THE 10 GALLON TANK. DO YOU THINK A 50 GALLON TANK IS ENOUGH TO HOUSE SUCH A COMMUNITY?

Yeah it is definantly big enough.
how big are hoplos cats and metae cats? I don't know what they are. If they aren't that big It would be fine. You may want to add about 5 of each of the tetras listed. And maybe add 2 more clown loaches. Then they will have rudimentary schools. Also, to allow for the least amount of aggression possible between the gourami's I would put plenty of hiding places for them. By the way, what is the male to female ratio with them?

-Vincent

Budzilla,

Thank you again for your suggestions.

Let me elaborate on the catfish, staying away from the ever confusing vernacular names. Hoplos Catfish: Megalechis thoracata grows to about 6 inches(http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/616.htm)and metae catfish: Corydoras metae does not grow more than 2 inches (http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/632.htm).

Tank will be very well stocked with natural plants and driftwood, and I`m figuring out a way to create caverns for all the inhabitants that need it.

Gouramis male to female ratio is 5/0, it is close to impossible to get females in Costa Rica since they dont import them as much as males due to their coloration.

Here is a list of how im planning to populate my 50 gallon let me know if you all have any comments.

5 dwarf gouramis
5 red phantom tetras
5 green flame tetras
5 cardinal tetras
5 rummynosed tetras
2 clown loaches
2 Megalechis thoracata
3 Corydoras metae(these are proudly being bred in Costa Rica)
2 farlowella acus


Any and all feedback will be appreciatted

The Hoplo is pretty cool looking but I would only keep one since they are pretty big. Also the cories really need a school of atleast 5-6 to. Stinks about the gourami's.
other than that it sounds good

-Vincent

The Hoplos are amazing!!! They do grow to a considerable length and are very thick fish as well, but they are schooling fish as well, will he do ok alone?

In terms of schooling how do you think the metae catfish would fare up if mixed with other cats? for example 3 metae with 3 panda catfish or with similar type of cories? Would they integrate themselves as one school or would they keep to their own?

Im bombarding you with questions and straying off the thread`s topic so I wont abuse any more of your time. Do know that your comments are greatly appreciatted and hope to continue this topic on the soon to come 50 gallon thread.

I don't mind answering your questions. I have no idea about hoplos cats but differernt types of cories will sometimes school together but they are alot happier with a school of their own kind.

-Vincent

Thanks,

I`ll stick to what`s best for them.

On a different note, I tested the water from my ten gallon tank last night, here are the results:

Ph: 8
NH3: 0
NO2: 0.3
GH: 2 (Water treated with Dark Water Extract)
KH: 9

Also as recommended I tested rested water that I had in a container to which I had already added Tetra Aqua Safe water conditioner and the Ph tested 7. To my tap water I made a Hardness test(GH) and it tested 3.5, I will test tap water without conditioner, results coming soon.

Thank you all for your help and information

Hello redphantom and welcome to FP!

The thing is with panda corys they are VERY social fish. Most people will agree they will be alot happier if they are in a school of 6+. I have a school of 11 and when I put food in the tank they all take off in little spurts of 3 or more lol. The also enjoy sleeping as a shoal under the driftwood. Different cory species have different schooling signals that only that species will understand. Mixing them will confuse them when it comes to schooling. But I am not saying you cant have more than one species in a tank. You just need to have large numbers of each species. Good luck setting up your new 50 gallon .....I just setup a 55 myself and it has brought me many hours of joy and I am sure yours will too!!!

I am setting up a 50 gallon tank to host the population of my afore mentioned 10 gallon tank. If you are intrested and want to follow up on the status of the tank and fish, please refer to this link: http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/32514.1.htm?0.9819176#

Thanks for all your help thusfar and hope to hear from you all in the near future.

Hi,
Pictures, Pictures, and MORE Pictures... Please!

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I just finished aquascaping last night, pictures coming soon!!!

Thank you