Hello!!

[AOK]

Hi.
I've joined this community to learn more about apistos before I introduce them to my aquarium

This tank is currently stocked with 6 ember tetras and 6 neon tetras but will be recieving a pair of apistos later this year once I get the water right

This tank was planned out for a pair of borrelli "opal"

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[anewbie]

Looks small what are the dimension; how hard is your water (kh/gh) and what temp. Ember tetra are ok in the sense they won't be too much of an issue but opal prefer cooler water so the tank will be at the low end for them - maybe 72 or 73.

 

[AOK]

HI,
Thanks for the reply tank is 60Lx40Hx30W (70L) and water is moderately hard 10-12 GH and unsure about KH

 

[anewbie]

it is a bit on the small size and the water is quite hard. If a species of apistogramma can handle it they will but you will be pushing the upper limit. Off the top of my head the only small docile dwarf cichild i think of that likes hard water are shell-dwellers but i'm sure others iwll chime in.

 

[AOK]

Am working on softening it down and this is a massive improvement from was previously 17 or so off the top of my head. All water changes are with Distilled water and 1/8 tap to lower it gradually down for the current inhabitants aiming to get it down to 5-7 GH. Other than that what would you recommend to improve on the tank and other ideas for spieces suitable for this tank

 

[MacZ]

Am working on softening it down and this is a massive improvement from was previously 17 or so off the top of my head. All water changes are with Distilled water and 1/8 tap to lower it gradually down for the current inhabitants aiming to get it down to 5-7 GH.

To be honest, if you have the means to lower hardness (and with that conductivity and pH), go the whole way. Because for the fish it makes no difference whether it's a GH of 15 or 5. And with KH nothing will really move unless it's below measurable.
It only starts taking any effect once hardness goes down below 1°, pH under 6.5 and EC reaches down to double digits.

 

[anewbie]

Using distill water in the long run will be rather expensive over the years. You would be better off with an ro unit or just going with fishes that prefer your native water.

 

[AOK]

I have a water distiller that I have just started using cheaper and more efficient than RO in my experience, would a pair be fine in this tank or should I go with just a male have you got any suggestions for a more suitable spieces for this tank?

 

[MacZ]

If it's a display tank to you, just get a single male.

 

[anewbie]

I have a water distiller that I have just started using cheaper and more efficient than RO in my experience, would a pair be fine in this tank or should I go with just a male have you got any suggestions for a more suitable spieces for this tank?

Interesting - yea for small amount of water you trade off energy vs waste water. I've been looking at solar distiller for volume though in my case i need a lot more water and the energy demand is quite high. Even at small volume if you are using electricity off the grid it would be interesting to do the math which is more efficient though it depends on ones locality.

 

[MacZ]

Interesting - yea for small amount of water you trade off energy vs waste water. I've been looking at solar distiller for volume though in my case i need a lot more water and the energy demand is quite high. Even at small volume if you are using electricity off the grid it would be interesting to do the math which is more efficient though it depends on ones locality.

I would be intzerested in knowing the brand and modell of distiller, as there are fakes out there that promise purification and turn out to do exactly nothing.

 

[Mike Wise]

AOK, please don't get over-concerned with water hardness right now. Your Opals would almost certainly be domestic and adapted to water different from where the species lives in the wild. Yes dGH >10 is hard so I wouldn't expect breeding success, but with proper care they will live in it. FYI I once kept Cardinal Tetras in dGH 14 water. It took careful attention to details but it worked.