Just Right Or Too Many?

[cambojnr]

So I was thinking of getting 10 more fire head tetras to bring my total to 19, along with my 9 corys and 1 BN, but in about a month I wanna add a pair of blue rams to finish the stocking, do you think this is to many fish, our just right? Filter is a external tetra tec ex700 so probably turns the tank over about 5-6 time an hour, the filter media I use is the sintered glass bio home stuff so has a huge surface area for bacteria to grow on.

So what do you think to much our just right?.

 

[DreamertK]

Technically you're already overstocked, just depends on if you want to do extra WC's or not to keep your NO3 level under control.
 
I have 15 smaller glolight tetras in my 30g and it's pretty busy.

 

[cambojnr]

Technically you're already overstocked, just depends on if you want to do extra WC's or not to keep your NO3 level under control.
 
I have 15 smaller glolight tetras in my 30g and it's pretty busy.

I only do 10% per week and nitrates have never been above 30ppm, good sintered glass media allowing bacteria to grow that take up the nitrates, and 15 glowlight looks busy to you?, my tanks looks empty, never see the bristlenose and the corys blend in to the substrate to well to be noticed unless up real close, and overstocked?, unless you are using the silly inch per gallon rule then yes, I'am overstocked, but I like to do it in tiers bottom tier is fully stocked now and mid-top level is 50% stocked, think I might just get my blue rams and see how it looks, add abit of colour to my dull dull tank.

 

[catfish4ever]

Technically you're already overstocked, just depends on if you want to do extra WC's or not to keep your NO3 level under control.
 
I have 15 smaller glolight tetras in my 30g and it's pretty busy.

I only do 10% per week and nitrates have never been above 30ppm, good sintered glass media allowing bacteria to grow that take up the nitrates, and 15 glowlight looks busy to you?, my tanks looks empty, never see the bristlenose and the corys blend in to the substrate to well to be noticed unless up real close, and overstocked?, unless you are using the silly inch per gallon rule then yes, I'am overstocked, but I like to do it in tiers bottom tier is fully stocked now and mid-top level is 50% stocked, think I might just get my blue rams and see how it looks, add abit of colour to my dull dull tank.

25% a week is more the borderline especially if your going to be adding a Pleco, not to mention rams are sensitive to water parameters, how large is your tank?

 

[DreamertK]

I have a fairly planted tank, but I can see 10 of them at any given time.
 
Ehh, the inch per gallon thing is good for beginners, but that's why I added the part about the WC's. Most people don't want to deal with the extra effort, but it sounds like your doing a good job with your tank as is. Hell, if you really want to go for it then you should go for it.
 
Rams do best in hard water though, that's the only thing I'd wonder about with your water conditions.

 

[Essjay]

Rams do best in hard water though, that's the only thing I'd wonder about with your water conditions.

 
 
Rams do best in soft acidic water, not hard water. Bolivian rams can tolerate harder water than rams, but even they don't like very hard water.

 

[DreamertK]

This only proves the point that their water conditions should influence which type of ram they're interested in. Blue rams like very hard water, which is what the OP mentioned.

 

[cambojnr]

Well my waters ph is 7.4 so Bolivians would be best suited, but if they breed I have read that they might become to aggressive to live with my tetras.