Hi there are a lot of questions here sorry,but help would be apreciated. I've asked this question before but I am looking for some more advice. I have a 36 gallon tank and I'm planning on putting the existing fish in another tank and making the 36 gallon into an Angelfish or Ram tank. I just wanted a fish that is more challenging than livebearers, becuase thats basicly all I have right now. But there is one problem, I've been having some issues with NitrItes and I don't know why. Then a week ago I cleaned my filter tubes( BIG MISTAKE!!!! ) and now my tank is going into a mini cycle ( You live you learn right ) so I read up on the conditions the nitrifying bacteria like and it turns out that they like 7.1PH or higher and I have 6.0 or possibly lower and I was thinking that maybe thats why I've had the NitrIte problems......so anyway back to the rams and Angelfish, I've wanted to get angel fish or Rams for a really long time but problems keep on popping up. Like I have like 0 KH which makes the ph of my water go to 6.0 and I'm torn, because I want to raise the PH so the bacteria can grow back but I don't want to screww with the water chemistry. And the main question is which should I get, how many ,and do you have any advice on my many problems so that I can eventually get angelfish or rams? HELP!!!! PLEASE!!!! I'm in dire need of some wise advice. Please could anyone answer as many question as you can about my tank and whether Angels or Rams would be ok for my tank? Advice would be much apreciated.

-Lisa

ur better to have a stable ph than messing with it.
and u can have no nitrites at lower ph, u need to let ur tank complete its mini cycle first before adding the fish
angelfish a pair if you can, if getting young ones you want half a dozen so they can pair off.


same with rams if u can sex them c#get a pair but sometimes difficult if not get a few then let them pair of and u may have to get rid of the rest!

Weekly water changes should take care of any Nitrite buildup. I recommend using a product called Prime and Blackwater extract at every water change. With the PH you want stability more then anything. Have you tried using RO water? Most LFS sell it and it isnt too expensive, roughly 75 cents a gallon. Better yet is the gallon jugs of drinking water at the grocery store. Either way your looking at a PH of 7. Keeping rams mean you have to have nice clean water at all times for them to thrive. Angels are a little more forgiving once settled in. I personally would start with a six pack of angels and let nature dictate which two to keep.

I agree with maybe trying RO water, but like has been said, don't worry about getting the PH spot on. Let the tank cycle, and when all the readings are fine then ADD THE RAMS (Far more interesting fish than angels IMHO). Make sure you aquascape accordingly to the fish you are going to have. Ph can always be buffered, as long as you are not too far off the desired figure. A stable slightly lower Ph tank is better than a fluctuating one

Cal

I keep rams in less than their ideal ph, mine is 7.6 but it is stable and thats whats important.

If you want to keep rams, then you will need to keep the tank water very clean, you cannot miss a water change or you will find your rams in trouble. Ammonia and NitrIte must be at 0 and preferably keep your nitrAtes below 20ppm (which is hard if you already have them from the tap).

Rams would like plenty of hiding spaces and plants (dont need to be live plants!) The more cover they have, the more likely you are to see them. Compared to Angels they are active and I think have far more personality.

in 36g I would suggest 5 young rams, then let them pair up as they see fit, once you do get pairs, you will need to re-home the others, as they will be territorial when they spawn

im totally against ro water, it is not needed in tis case.

Nothing wrong at all with RO water. Its neutral and stable. With a black water extract additive makes it ideal for keeping the fish she wants.

but it aint needed though!

u can breed fish fine without it

Oh Im sorry I didnt mean to step on the toes of the resident expert here. I guess in my 20 years of keeping aquariums with a number of years breeding angels in particular, I've been doing it all wrong.

i didnt say that , and am not dounbting ur experience.

and no need to be sarcastic about it


al im saying is that ro water is rarely need to breed fish

u can happily breed fish without it especially angelfish.

When I originally replied to this subject I was attempting to help with her water issues. Breeding isnt her issuer here. RO water is a viable solution to her problem. RO gives a stable platform to alter to your needs, whether your keeping new world or Africans. Im well aware of the various conditions in which angels breed since Ive bred them in standard tap water.

there are other ways less complicated, less expensive etc than ro though ie shell

There are many ways to achieve the desired effect. The information I gave is from my experience and opinion as stated in my signiture. We could sit here all day and go back and forth giving the positives and negatives of different solutions. I gave information that works best for me. Lets let the poster decide which viable option is best for her. After all we all are here to help, not argue on who's method is better. The aquarium hobby can be confusing enough as it is.

What exactly is RO water and what does it do? Also what is black water extract? How much water do you think I should change weekly? I was doing 10% a week with the vacuume, but now I change like 20% a week. I also have had to do some extra changes to keep the ammonia ,from the mini cycle, at bay. What % of water do you suggest if I end up (after mini cycle) getting angelfish? And how would I give away the other angels after I have a pair? would the LFS give me my money back or would I just have to give them back? And thank you everyone for your valuable advice and I would appreciate any responses to these questions as well.
-Lisa

RO water is filtered water that has been stripped of its mineral content. Its gives you a nice and stable starting point for whatever your water needs. Black water extract is a water additive for Amazon type fish. It adds minerals to your water thats found in the Amazon basin. Some people will think this is alot to go through but this is what works for me keeping my angels healthy. Most LFS will take the angels back from you after you get your pair. Local cichlids clubs are also a great source if your have trouble rehoming them. Of course you can always use it as an excuse to have to buy another tank. Be careful with the last one there, it could lead to MTS.

Oh ok! Haha I would love to buy another tank, but I don't have anymore money or room. Plus I just bought a 10 gallon so that I could buy a pair of angels (the 10 gallon was a really good deal) Once I move out I'm defanitely buying a bunch of tanks. So I can get the RO water from the LFS or the grocery store? right? Also do all LFS sell the black water extract? Sorry for all the questions and thanks for all your help!

You can pick up purified drinking water at any grocery store. The cheapest Ive seen here is as low as .65 cents a gallon. Most LFS will sell you the RO water. Be sure to call around to see which ones will. And while you have them on the phone ask about the black water extract. The only places I havnt been able to find the extract is at Petsmart. And theres always room for more tanks. When floor space is gone thats when you start stacking one on top of each other. Whoever came up with those stands to hold multiples is a pure genius.