# Who likes high pH?



## Tribal (Mar 4, 2006)

My pH is around 7.8 from the tap it seems Give or take a few. I have tested it for the past few days, and it is generally 7.4-7.8. I have no idea why it seems to flctuate so bad, I know somebody mentioned buffers.

But with that in mind, what fish won't mind such a high pH? Keeping in mind I have a 29 gallon..

I know a lot of the Cichlids like the higher pH, but they all need like 50+ gallons it seems.

Originally I have been looking at Barbs, Rainbows, Gourami, and Killifish (not all together, just different ones I like). Any suggestions? I want more colorful fish, that are newbie friendly. The tank is the centerpoint of the room.


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## Torpedo (Jan 23, 2006)

African Cichlids. 

Lake Malawi Cichlids would be perfect. theyre beautifully colored and need a ph around 8.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

He has a 29g though.

Hmm that's a toughie really, i mean ph isnt high enough for tangs so i wouldnt suggest tangs, but is ok for malawians, if used lace rock would slightly up the ph.

Could put youngling pea****s in there younglings like 2-2.5" in there. Please note though they'd need a bigger tank in 6months


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## Tribal (Mar 4, 2006)

> Hmm that's a toughie really, i mean ph isnt high enough for tangs so i wouldnt suggest tangs, but is ok for malawians, if used lace rock would slightly up the ph.


Yeah, 29 Gallon, so makes it a bit hard. Wish I would have grabbed the 55 now, but I don't have the room for it regardless. Perhaps when I am done remodelling, but that won't be for a while.

Otherwise, I really don't plan to upgrade for a good while, definatly not within 6 months.

I pondered getting some spring water, figure a 10% water change each week, would be 3 gallons. And it is 1$ a gallon. But that can be a bit of a hassle. The spring water was 6.2, but I mixed 1/2 tap and 1/2 spring, and it was at 7.0. So that might be an option as well. But I was trying to keep it as hassle free as possible. It would be great if I could come up with something in my pH range. But, like was said, the 29 gallon makes it a bit hard.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

the thing about that though, it would be hard to keep the PH level even - after a period of time you would have more spring and less tap and then you would have to add more tap to bring it back up and your PH would be swingin like Tarzan


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## Tribal (Mar 4, 2006)

Yeah, exactly what I am afraid of. Though Tarzan is pretty stylin'


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Livebearers, platys, swordtails, most rainbowfish would do well in that water.


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## Tribal (Mar 4, 2006)

All of the live bearers tend to breed a lot and really fast don't they? I'm not too sure what I would doo with dozens of fry.....


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## Niki2105 (Apr 12, 2005)

Apple Snails would do good in that high of PH. You can get really pretty colored ones lol and they are great fun to watch.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You could keep about 6-8 young T. Snyderae, Hemichromis Cristatus, or Convicts, then remove all but a pair when they grow up. A tank full of red-tailed or butterfly Goodieds with plants would be pretty. 
Platies will eat their own young and goodieds breed kind of slow. Just find a fish club and take fry to auctions twice a year or trade to LFS for frozen fish food. You're right to be afraid of a guppy explosion, though. Be careful picking rainbowfish or gouramis because some kinds get very big. I think your tank might be too big for killies. If you get juv. malawians you won't have fry, but you will have to trade them when they outgrow your tank. 

Its much easier to buffer pH up than down. Just add at every water change and test weekly. Look at pictures of small tanganikans (i.e. N. Lelupi) and decide if its worth it.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Test the hardness, too. If its low, the pH won't stay up and you can get acid water fish.


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

I would say to put some limestone or "Holey" rock in there to buffer your pH up and go with some African Tangs. You could put some comps or calvus in there, they grow really slow and look really neat. You could add a pair of brichardi in there also. I do not think I would go over a pair though. You could also look into some shell dwellers. I do not have any exp. with these so I cant help you much there.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

The fish at your local petstore are most likely kept in the same water you have. A LOT of fish will be just fine in that ph. The key is acclimating them slowly. I know people who breed angels in that kind of water and keep discus in it also. As long as its stable and clean you will be fine. Just keep hardier species until you get the hang of it.


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## Tribal (Mar 4, 2006)

How do I go about acclimating them slowly to my water, coming from the fish store?

That is a good point that the stores have close to the same water, the LFS is like two blocks over, and the other small petstore is about a mile. Maybe I will give them a call and ask about the fry, and if they take them. I really don't want a guppy explosion, but a lot of platies and swordtails are really pretty.

Thanks guys, appreciate the help.


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## Guest (Mar 31, 2006)

my first tank was a 29gallon. I stocked it with 4 Pseudotropheus Demasoni and 1 Labidochromis caeruleus.
add a Bristlenose pleco and you got it!!
if the Mbuna seem shy add a scattering of Zebra Danios.
(and I've already overcrowded the tank) lol


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## FortWayneFish (Mar 8, 2006)

*29 gallon Krib Tank ?*

A ph of 7.4-7.6 isn't that bad at all....

Most fish can be kept at this PH level..
my favorite choices:

(1) nicely planted tank of Krib. 
(2)compact cichlids
(3) species only tank of smaller Mbuna
(4) make a tank full of corydoras  throw some plants and a bristlenose in it and watch the excitement..

you could go without cichlids and there are numerous possibilities....


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