Water Stats?

[Floyds mum]

Can anyone tell me the rough stats for most common tropical fish?

 

[rdd1952]

Ammonia and nitrite should always be zero. Anything else indicates there is a problem. You usually want to keep nitrate below 40 to 80 ppm as higher levels can help fuel algae and can lower pH. While levels much higher than that aren't harmful to most fish, it's just a matter of keep the water clean. Regualar water changes will keep it at a good level. The actual pH reading isn't really all that important as long as it's stable. Most fish can readily adapt to a pH that is outside their optimal range as long as it's stable. The worst thing you can do is use the pH adjusting chemicals that keep it in a constant up and down swing. Other things such as Gh and KH aren't really an issue although it's nice to know what they are.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi there,

A well-running freshwater tropical tank that has a fully cycled biofilter should display the following three basic stats:
Ammonia (NH3): zero ppm
Nitrite(NO2): zero ppm
Nitrate(NO3): 5 to 20ppm above whatever the tap water NO3 level is.

These stats should be established via a good liquid-reagent based test kit (many of us like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit for this) and not by paper strips, which are somewhat worse than useless in that they're potentially misleading.

It usually takes about 3 to 8 weeks to establish a good working biofilter that can accomplish the above stats and then the tank can handle live tropical fish.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Floyds mum]

Ok thanx both of you

 

[mickspark81]

Id just like to add that although what has been said above usually applies to most tropical fish it is always worth researching your fish before you buy. For example. if when your tank is cycled and you want to introduce a pair of german blue rams then they wont do very well in hard alkaline water.

I would personally try to aim for an aquarium in which its inhabitants all "prefare" a similar water quality

Also...ph and temp can be very important if you are trying to breed some species of fish
have fun

 

[waterdrop]

Id just like to add that although what has been said above usually applies to most tropical fish it is always worth researching your fish before you buy. For example. if when your tank is cycled and you want to introduce a pair of german blue rams then they wont do very well in hard alkaline water.

I would personally try to aim for an aquarium in which its inhabitants all "prefare" a similar water quality

Also...ph and temp can be very important if you are trying to breed some species of fish
have fun

Yes, this is excellent advice. Experienced aquarists know that its easiest to plan your stocking community around the water stats you've been given by where you live, rather than fighting them. If you're experienced and really want to go against them and be constantly at work changing the water to something different than your tap, it can be done, but its a project that often fails eventually and for beginners its truly not advised.

Finding out what species will work well with your water and with each other can be a long hard process. In this forum, its often a subject of discussion during the long weeks while one waits for the fishless cycle to complete prior to having fish.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rdd1952]

Just to add to what has been said about planning your stock list. As I mentioned most fish can readily adapt to any pH but naturally, it's better if you can keep them in what they prefer. I also mentioned not using the adjusting chemicals. You can adjust pH with other means but as a general rule, it's much easier to raise the pH than it is to lower it. If you have very hard water with high pH, about the only way to lower it is with RO water.