13Apr/114
What is the best temperature, water condition(ph, nitrate level, Hardness, Amonia) level for tropical fish?
What is the best temperature, water condition(ph, nitrate level, Hardness, Amonia) level for tropical fish?I am setting up a new 10 g tank. I was wondering what is the best optimal temperature and optimal water condition(hardness, ph, nitrate, amonia) levels for my fishes(guramies, Platties, swordfish), considering puttign a pair of each.
I have cycled the tank, how long before i can put in fish...
also my water shows as hard water, do i need to make it soft?
and what is the best PH level ..
thanks
April 13th, 2011 - 13:26
75-80 degrees F
April 13th, 2011 - 13:26
http://www.versaquatics.com/testingthewater.htm
pH lvl for african fish, above 7.0, any other fish about 6-7.0 pH. most fish like moderate to ahrd water.
April 13th, 2011 - 13:56
It’s best not to mess with the pH level. Keeping it stable is more important that keeping it neutral. For the fish you’re looking at you will want to keep the temperature in the high 70s.
It’s best to keep ammonia and nitrites at 0ppm for the health of the fish. This can be done by making sure you’ve fully cycled the tank before adding the fish and by performing routine partial water changes and tank cleanings.
Nitrates need to be below 25ppm, but lower is always better. You can keep the nitrates down with regular tank maintenance. If your tap water is already high in nitrates you can cut it with reverse osmosis water. High nitrate levels will result in excessive algae growth.
April 13th, 2011 - 14:06
A 10 g tank is very small. Make sure the fish you buy will stay small. A general rule is 1 inch of fish for each gallon of water, so your 10 g tank will only hold 5 two-inch fish. The adult size of plattys is 2″, but only the dwarf gourami is that small. Other gouramis can get up to 6.” I think you must mean swordtail rather than swordfish; these can get up to 4″ long. Consider buying a 20 g long tank, or 29 g tank in the future, and keeping the 10 g for a hospital tank to house sick or injured fish, or just new fish to make sure they show no disease before adding them to your main tank.
In general, the majority of tropical fish prefer soft, slightly acid to neutral water (6.5 – 7.2 pH). The temperature should be between 72° and 78° F. Exceptions such as East African Rift Lake Ciclids require a pH range of 7.6 – 8.0, and very hard water. However, Ciclids require a LARGE tank, and are often agressive towards even their own species, so I do not recommend you try them just because you have hard water. It would be better for you to buy reverse osmosis water if necessary.
If you have already cycled the tank you can add fish, just remember to acclimate them to the water temp and conditions of your aquarium by floating the plastic bag in which you bring them home in the aquarium. Add some of the aquarium water to the bag several times before pouring the water and fish into the tank.
The most important maintenance you can do is regular water changes. Once a month remove about 2 gallons of water from your aquarium. Replace the 2 gallons with new, clean water treated against chlorine and ammonia. Use an undergravel filter with carbon inserts, or a corner filter with carbon to help keep the water clean. Providing an air bubble source is helpful as warmer water holds less oxygen than cool water. The bubbles help turn the water over which allows more exchange of gas at the surface. The surface is the primary site of oxygen exchange.
Below are links to two sites with info on fish, and setting up an aquarium.