Questions, Questions, Questions....

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offdahook4now

Registered Member
Oct 5, 2005
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I've got lots of questions. I have had a 40 gallon tank for a year, but just now found this forum and since reading alot of posts, there's alot more to it than I thought.

First off, I have to buy reverse osmosis water from the store, because I have well water, and it's too hard, and too rusty to even drink, so I don't use it in the tank. I just checked and the ph balance was ok, as was the alkalinity, but the hardness was pretty high. It never occured to me that reverse osmosis water would be hard water. Anyhow, I had these test strips, but hadn't used them in awhile. I just found them on the floor behind the tank today. Here's the fish I have: I have 2 gouramies, 2 neons, 2 dano's, 3 Buenos Aires Tetra's and one sucker fish. Are these ok in hard water, and if not, what do I need to do to soften the water?

Is that too many fish for a 40 gallon tank? They are all small fish.

I just found an 80 percent off table at the pet store and got a nice heater and a Penguin bio-wheel filter. I'm thinking of getting a ten gallon going, but I want to make sure before I buy fish, that my 40 gallon isn't too crowded. Otherwise I'll just put some from the 40 gallon in the 10 gallon.
Also would like to get the question answered about the hard water. I want to become a good fish owner, so please be gentle with me...;)
 
FreddytheFish

FreddytheFish

Nano-Reefer
Aug 29, 2005
1,800
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Cincinnati, OH
if the fish have been o.k. in hard water for so long already, it shouldn't matter now. fish, especially freshwater fish, are very good at adapting to different water types, so they'll usually be o.k. as long as they have time to acclimate to the new water. (in other words, as long as they don't go from very hard water to very soft water in a short period of time they should be o.k.)

i don't think your tank is overcrowded at all
 
Holly9937

Holly9937

AC Members
Jan 20, 2005
2,695
1
36
43
Michigan
Honestly, I would bump up the tetras and danios to 6 a piece and keep the gouramis and leave the tank at that and be fully stocked. You'll get better schooling behavior in the bigger groups and they'll be happier!! The only concern I would have is with the "sucker fish"... Common Pleco?? If so, you are looking at a fish that gets to be a good 18 inches+. If thats what it is I would find a store to return it to, once they get big, you will never find someone to take it!!
 
wataugachicken

wataugachicken

The Dancing Banana
Jul 14, 2005
5,451
1
0
Charlotte, NC
I would get rid of the test strips and pick up some liquid test kits. they are more expensive at first, but they last much longer and are more accurate.

It seems like you haven't had any trouble with your RO water, which is good. RO, however, should be free of anything that would lead to hardness, so the level of hardness tells me that maybe it isn't completely RO, but that's okay (unless you're paying a massive amount of $$ for it and not truly getting what you're paying for). Generally when using it you are supposed to add in a trace mineral mix in order to make it safe for the fish and not interfere with their cellular processes. (Basic science - if the density of something [minerals, salts, nutrients, electrolytes] is greater in one area, like inside a cell, while the density is lower or absent in another area like outside the cell, the levels will leach out of the greater-density area in order to equalize). When using pure RO the lack of anything in the water leads to problems and death. Unless you've had some unexplained deaths, your water must be fine somehow.
 
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