View Full Version : Plant & Cichlid question
zmazza
01-26-2007, 4:19 PM
I'm starting up a new planted tank, but I have some worries. I don't have an RO filter yet, so my pH is going to stay at around 8.3-8.4. It's that high out of the tap. I want to have a nice planted tank, and I've already got the CO2, a Rena XP2 canister filter, and a 65 watt pc light fixture. All this is going on a 29 gallon. I had originally wanted to soften the water and keep some tetras / angelfish / discus, but, if I we're to keep the hard water, what would you recommend as far as cichlids? I don't think I could keep much else in water like that. Are all cichlids plant eaters?
What other fish or plants would you recommend?
Thanks.
Sounds to me like your water water would be fine for (Rift lake) Africans. Have little experience with those myself, so can't speak to the plant issue. My CA's and SA's make tryng to keep plants an exercise in futility.
jm1212
01-27-2007, 3:52 PM
angels do fine in water with a high pH. i keep all 7 of mine in a pH of 8.0.
when you add CO2, the pH will drop BTW
zmazza
01-29-2007, 9:42 AM
I've tried keeping angels OVER and OVER and never have any luck with them at all. They usually die within a few days. I figured if I acclimated them right, they'd be fine. How hard is your water?
Are you sure your tanks have been cycled for those angels?
zmazza
01-30-2007, 9:04 AM
Absolutely. It's like I remove ALL the fish that we're in there for MONTHS with no problems, do a small water change, acclimate the angels for an hour or so, and then two to three days later they start to get listless and then I find them stuck to the filter. I don't think I've had an angel to last a week. Same with plecostomuses. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I'm feeding the wrong foods to the pleco. No telling. I've always wanted to keep those, and angels as well, but never have any luck what so ever.