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Bolivian Ram Community Tank

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  • Bolivian Ram Community Tank

    Just posting a pic of my community tank with Bolivian Rams. I also have dwarf Gourami, Neon Tetras, a couple of Bettas, and cory cats.



  • #2
    Good call on the Bolivians, they do far better in our water
    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
    Desiderius Erasmus
    GHAC President

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    • #3
      Very nice Tank. The littler geo's don't dig up plants as bad as the bigger ones do.
      Nothing Kills Evil Like a Sharp Stick...

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      • #4
        nice scaping. i like the black sand substrate, always makes things stand out well. i want to change mine from gravel to sand, especially for my geos, but its just work haha maybe one day

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        • #5
          Thank you guys. I do have a question though. Does Texas limestone cause the ph to go up? I have been trying to naturally get my ph to stay around 7.2-7.5 but I am having a lot of trouble doing that. I dont want to use any chemicals. I'm pretty new to this fish stuff for its been almost 18 years since I've had an aquarium.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by phamq1979 View Post
            Thank you guys. I do have a question though. Does Texas limestone cause the ph to go up? I have been trying to naturally get my ph to stay around 7.2-7.5 but I am having a lot of trouble doing that. I dont want to use any chemicals. I'm pretty new to this fish stuff for its been almost 18 years since I've had an aquarium.
            Because limestone is soluble, meaning it will slowly dissolve (leach) over time, it can be a great addition to any African Rift Lake aquarium. The pH for these lakes are anywhere from 7.2 – 9.0. This is very alkaline for a freshwater aquarium, and almost as alkaline as saltwater setups. The limestone helps, in effect, to raise the pH of soft water by “donating” Calcium, Magnesium, and Carbonate. And if you already have “hard” water, limestone can be helpful in buffering, or keeping your water at a pH no lower than 7.6. Minerals don’t stay suspended in water for very long, and so the limestone helps to keep your pH stable by continuously leachingcalcium carbonate into the water. There are lots of rocks besides limestone that will give you this effect, but I prefer honeycomb limestone over others for at least two reasons.

            Source - http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/tx_holey_rock.php
            15g column BB low-tech driftwood/planted - Dwarf Puffer Tank :lupe:

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            • #7
              Crushed coral is a good option as well. You could use it as substrate, but your black sand looks nice. You could also use it in a HOB or canister. There are also homemade options, such as a mix of epsom salt, reef salt, and baking soda (not sure if this falls under your category of chemicals) that can do a fabulous job of keeping your water hard

              "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

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              • #8
                Thanks for the great information. I wonder if the ph would go down if i take the limestone out. But then again it seems like my fish don't mind the higher ph levels since they seem to be happy.

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                • #9
                  Honestly, here in Houston, trying to keep soft water tanks is an uphill battle. Better to just buffer your pH to keep it how it is, as opposed to constantly fighting to lower it, unless of course you're keeping wild caught soft water fish or trying to breed soft water fish
                  Last edited by Austy16414; 10-29-2014, 02:53 PM.

                  "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

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                  • #10
                    Bolivian rams do good in the water here. You shouldn't need to lower your PH. As long as you keep up your water quality. Your fish will do well. I use tap water that's 8.0+PH. I don't keep Africans. I keep 2 Geophagus. Brasiliensis, and Tapajo. Not wild but I do keep Pterophyllum Altum that are wild. Also 4 types of pleco. All in tap water. The only thing I put in the water is AmQuel plus detoxifier. I do my water changes weekly at 50/50.
                    Truth is if the water is clean no ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Most fish will acclimate.
                    Last edited by troy tucker; 10-30-2014, 08:00 AM.
                    Nothing Kills Evil Like a Sharp Stick...

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                    • #11
                      there are some thing that will help with the PH. Your drift wood, peat, and almond leafs help. IMO> the best way is a RO/ID filter. It will make the water softer. but like using Chemicals it a lot of trouble.
                      Nothing Kills Evil Like a Sharp Stick...

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                      • #12
                        Bolivians are actually found in harder water ranging from nuetral to 8.0 in cooler temps 75-80. Compared to rams at 5.0-6.5 in a temp of 84+ they should exhibit more natural behaviors and breed more readily. Many of the softer water species can breed, but their eggs seem to fungus or the fry are just not adapted to the bacteria and microrganisms present in water above a 6.0 . Bacteria and even the Nitrogen cycle stops as we approach that threshold and certainly something to consider when breeding softer water species.
                        In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                        Desiderius Erasmus
                        GHAC President

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                        • #13
                          Do you mind telling me where you found the rams? I haven't seen Bolivians lately.

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                          • #14
                            Fish r us had some when I was there

                            Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

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                            • #15
                              Thank you all the great info. I have learned a lot from just these past few post. I'm still trying to find peat to add to my fluval but every LFS i go to doesnt sell them.

                              I was looking for some rams and I went to Fish Gallery at first but all they had were a few German Blues left. I didnt want them because my last pair died within a month and I kept the water in great condition. Only thing was that my ph was almost constantly 8. So I stopped by Fishland since I stay in the energy corridor and they had dozens of the Bolivian Blue rams. All their tanks were super clean and their fish looked really healthy. I picked up 3 Bolivians and they are doing great. You should check Fishland out. They have a nice selection of fish and at a great price.

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