Air stone / air pump questions

[PheonixKingZ]

As long as you have a filter, you should be good as far as oxygenation goes.

Some aquarists prefer the extra oxygenation, and I’m sure it can’t hurt.

Maybe @PheonixKingZ @Essjay can help you with the brands.

By “kit”, do you mean an oxygen testing kit?

 

[andreisdabest]

Yeah and possibly water hardness

 

[andreisdabest]

I got these from my water provider's site:
Total dissolved solids 240 (mg/L)
Hardness 84 (mg/L)
Would these still be correct in my tank after putting in tap water conditoner??

 

[Barry Tetra]

By “kit”, do you mean an oxygen testing kit?

Yep

 

[Essjay]

Hardness does not change unless you do something to deliberately alter it. Water conditioners don't alter hardness. Things like coral or limestone decor can increase hardness slightly; adding RO water will reduce it.

The number you want from the water provider's website is 84 mg/l. Assuming this is mg/l calcium carbonate, you have soft water which means the mollies will not do well, I'm afraid.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) is everything dissolved in the water, and hardness is just part of that.



There may be oxgen testers but I've not come cross them. Low oxygen is not usually an issue if the tank has a filter.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yep

I have no clue on any good ones, sorry.

 

[andreisdabest]

Hardness does not change unless you do something to deliberately alter it. Water conditioners don't alter hardness. Things like coral or limestone decor can increase hardness slightly; adding RO water will reduce it.

The number you want from the water provider's website is 84 mg/l. Assuming this is mg/l calcium carbonate, you have soft water which means the mollies will not do well, I'm afraid.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) is everything dissolved in the water, and hardness is just part of that.



There may be oxgen testers but I've not come cross them. Low oxygen is not usually an issue if the tank has a filter.

Ok cool thanks what fish WILL do well in soft water (not too pricey, and also will fit in a 10Gal

 

[andreisdabest]

Also screen shot of the hardness thingy on the SA water website:

 

[Essjay]

A shoal of small fish perhaps.

For example, one of the species in the Boraras genus

Search Results boraras — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Or depending on the swimming length of the tank, ember tetras could be an option

Hyphessobrycon amandae – Ember Tetra — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

And pehaps one of the dwarf cory species - Corydoras pygmaeus (pygmy cories), C. habrosus (salt & pepper cories) and C. hastatus. These would need sand on the bottom of the tank.

 

[andreisdabest]

A shoal of small fish perhaps.

For example, one of the species in the Boraras genus

Search Results boraras — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Or depending on the swimming length of the tank, ember tetras could be an option

Hyphessobrycon amandae – Ember Tetra — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

And pehaps one of the dwarf cory species - Corydoras pygmaeus (pygmy cories), C. habrosus (salt & pepper cories) and C. hastatus. These would need sand on the bottom of the tank.

I do have sand are any of these fish really cheap? I dont want to over stock as well! The tank is maybe 60cm long (maybe 50cm)

 

[Callisto405]

How do i test dissolved oxygen and hardness

API sells a GH and KH test kit. As for the dissolved oxygen, keep the water level an inch or 2 below the output so it causes disturbance in the water when it falls into the tank ( like a waterfall) and that will provide more than enough oxygen for several fish.

 

[Guyb93]

Off topic but saves me starting a new thread ... yesterday I burnt some food and the whole downstairs flooded with smoke , alarms going off the lot , instantly I though ohh poo my air pump is surly pumping all this co2 and other bad gases straight into my tank and instantly turned it off , should I do a water change today , everything seems fine but can the air in your home destroy the quality of the water in your tank ?