VERY hard water

[Lauri]

I just got my new tank (18 g) up and running and I tested the water. I used the Jungle Quick Dip 5-N-1 test strips.

The Hardness was "very hard" and the Alkalinity was "high". The ph was in the alkaline range and the nitrites and nitrates were non-existent.

We get our water from a local well. It goes through a basic house filter (carbon based).

I don't want to mess around with trying to change the water. I'd like to get fish that will accept the water the way it is.

So - in doing my research I've found that Mollie, Guppies, and Platies are a good choice. Does that sound right?

Also - what about a bottom feeder or someone to clean the insides of the tank? Are there any fish that can do that and handle my hard water?

Thanks for any tips!!

 

[tarpon]

Once again I'm sorry to say this but weekly or once every two week water changes are an absolute must in a fish tank otherwise the nitrates will build up to harmful levels. You should really read up on cycling a fish tank for the well being of fish you put in there. And it will be better for you bc you wont have to worry about new tank syndrome (poisoning from chemicals due to the fishs waste) killing any of your fish

 

[tarpon]

Oh, I'm sorry I misread that. You meant alter the water bc of its hardness. My bad

And also nitrates and nitrites should not be there of there is no ammonia source.
And the testing strips are said to be innacurate and unreliable. I use the api liquid test kit. It lasts long and it accurate and dependable.

And as far as ph goes fish can adjust to your ph.

Some good bottom feeders would be Cory catfish. Or otocinclus "otos" to clean the algae. Or maybe a bristlenose pleco

 

[gabysapha]

I have really hard water/high alkalinity in my area and I've been researching all week on what fish I should stock! I'll be watching this thread closely!

It seems that fish from your LFS or fish that are tank raised can adjust to a greater range of water parameters than wild caught fish, but I expect a fish evolved to inhabit a soft water-acidic stream in the Amazon can only adjust so much. Perhaps they would not live as long or would not show their color as well.

But that's not to say we can't have fish! After doing my research it seems that livebearers like platies and guppies would like your water parameters. And in an 18 gal aquarium they would fit in very nicely. Mollies need a larger tank than 18g, but platies look very similar and make a perfect substitute.

It also seems that Glowlight tetras and Bloodfin tetras can tolerate your water conditions better than other tetras but I have no experience.

If you have algae in your tank you can consider getting a group of ottos, but they are sensitive and are usually wild-caught. They do not live in regions with your water parameters.
If you don't have algae in your tank, a school of tank-raised (not wild caught) cories are a great choice. They will poke around for uneaten food but they need to be fed regularly too!
Kuhli loaches may be something to consider too, but I'm not sure how they would tolerate your water.

I hope other members of the community can add their insight on keeping fish with our water parameters! I'm so curious!

 

[tarpon]

Before you even start to consider what kind of fish you're gonna get you need to cycle your tank