Interactive fish 90L (23g)

[Gem1202]

Hi all, I've bought a 90L tank and I was just brainstorming what to put in it. I'm looking for an interactive fish (like a cichlid maybe) any ideas?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

 

[Gem1202]

Heya, havn't set it up fully yet, I'm just brainstorming ideas at the moment as I already have two coumnity tanks and would like something different, I can modify the water conditions to suit the fish when I know what I'd like to get thanks - Gem

 

[Byron]

Heya, havn't set it up fully yet, I'm just brainstorming ideas at the moment as I already have two coumnity tanks and would like something different, I can modify the water conditions to suit the fish when I know what I'd like to get thanks - Gem

What Colin was referring to are the parameters of your source water. The GH (general or total hardness) and pH particularly. You need to know these before considering any fish because fish have preferences and will only be healthy if the water parameters are what they require or very close to it. The parameters of your source water are not at all easy to adjust, depending what they are, so you need to know these. Your municipal water authority may have a website with water data posted, or you can call them.

 

[Gem1202]

Ok, Well I can't find any exact measurements but I do know that our water is usually quite soft. Hope this helps.

 

[Byron]

Ok, Well I can't find any exact measurements but I do know that our water is usually quite soft. Hope this helps.

You need to pin this down, GH and pH. Call the water authority. Make sure you get the number for the GH and their unit of measure (mg/l, degrees Clarke, degrees H, ppm, or whatever). You should have a pH test kit as this is a useful test, and you can test the tap water for pH yourself. You need to out-gas the CO2 when testing tap water for pH in orer to get a reliable result. Let a glass of plain tap water sit 24 hours before testing pH. No need to do this with aquarium water.

 

[Gem1202]

Its 5 in the morning right now, so I'll call the council later. My usual pH is usually are 7.4(tested two weeks ago), and the GH is generally around 40g/m3 as CaCO3 (taken off a website). I have a filter on my tap water if this changes anything.

 

[Essjay]

It depends on what kind of water filter you have. The kind that replace the 'hardness' minerals with sodium should not be used for fish. Humans should not drink water from this kind of filter so there has to be a bypass tap, and this tap must also be used for fish.

 

[Gem1202]

I'm pretty sure the filter just takes out the flurine.