Starting To Think About Stocking

[phocoena]

My water is atypical in that although it is very soft (KH of 1 or 2 out the tap, GH 3 or 4 colour is so feint it is hard to tell), it is also slightly acidic pH is 7.4 (except when ammonia has just been added) using the API high range test kit. It also stays at 7.4 constantly.

It is 95 litres/25 US gallons with a mixed fine/rough gravel bottom (some of the rougher bits appear to be calcium carbonate or something carbonate: Tank water is KH 4 and GH 7 60 hours post water change (2.5 days) hence I am not that willing to remove it.

I'm Planning a second tank with a sand/fine gravel substrate and stocking at that looks like 1 betta male and some cories (and one other species tbd). It will be 71 litres.

So which hardness values do I use.
And any fish to consider for a lower level. I've seen Bolivian Rams mentioned elsewhere but not sure their difficulty level.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Your pH is on the alkaline side. Still good for most fish. Bolivian rams will be fin

e. KH is the ability of the water to maintain its pH level, gh is the total dissolved solids in the water.

 

[phocoena]

Whoops. Yeah water is alkali.
Also the tank is 36"x12"x15" or 90cm by 30cm by 45cm. So I think I have a Wide selection of choices except when it comes to lower level fishes because of the substrate

 

[phocoena]

Tearing my hair out here. This stocking malarky is not that easy.
Everywhere has different info on what water parameters each fish needs.
Also thinking of maybe having a (partial?) substrate change as well now. Still having issues regarding tap v tank for hardness as don't know which value to use.
And 25 inches is not a lot of fishes when your looking at 2" ones in the main.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You can bump that number of inches up if you are willing to keep up the maintenance and the fish reside in different levels of the tank. If there are too many in a given level, then it will look busy and feel crowded. If the fish are spread out throughout the different strata, then it will be fine.