Rams in hard water?

[fish_face]

I have my 350 litre tank set up as my signature describes. The trouble is, i've been told that rams won't live in hard water. I have very hard tap water and my ph is high (top of my test kit which is about 7.5 i think - so could be higher).

They haven't been in the tank long, but seem fine so far. I was wondering if ph was really important or just for breeding purposes as I don't really want to breed them. Do I need water softners or will this harm the other fish?

Thanks guys

 

[freddyk]

Check this out

 

[Bloo]

Freddy that's a good link, but that's largely about PH and not GH or KH.
For more info on GH & KH (as well as PH) see this article.

I'd also like to add that in my experience of (Golden & Dutch) Rams in Hard Water, I've never had luck. They always decline over a period of 3-9 months and eventually die
They will initially display beautiful colours and then gradually get thinner and duller as time goes on. It's really sad to see them decline like that while all the other fish are glowing and healthy. Remember that Rams need some live or frozen food too and if you have "pigs" that gobble everything up, the Rams will back off and go without.

I've realised that unless I start altering my water with chemicals etc. I would be able to get my water softer (or use time consuming and very expensive RO water with added buffers etc.). You'd have to be ultra vigilant to keep everything lelel and stable (think about going on holiday and who will do the upkeep of that). To me it's just not worth the effort.

Sooo..... with my KH of 11 and a GH of 20 I have decided never to keep Rams again - beautiful as they are.

 

[sylvia]

I personaly have had no trouble with keeping rams in hard, alkaline water (except when breeding). However, if it doesn't work out for you or you don't want to risk it, consider bolivian rams which are much hardier and, it has been suggested, actualy do better in alkaline water.