Aquarium Setup Guide. pH-hardness-temperature-salt-aquascaping
Rainforest Fishes
(South American and West African cichlids; bettas and gouramis; tetras, barbs, danios, rasboras; etc.)
- 6.0 to 7.0 PH
- soft to moderate water
- 76° to 82°F
- no salt needed
- aquascape plants; driftwood; inert rocks (quartz, slate, granite, onyx, etc.), gravel, and sand
African Rift Lake Fishes
(cichlids and other fishes from the rift Lakes)
- 7.5 to 8.5
- hard to very hard PH
- 74° to 80°F
- Rift Lake salts (if needed to increase hardness and pH)
- aquascape soluble rocks, gravel, and sand (dolomite, limestone, coral rock, lace rock, tufa rock)
Central American Fishes
(Central American cichlids, livebearers, cave tetras, catfish, etc.)
- 7.0 to 8.0 moderate to hard
- 74° to 82°F
- many species are salt-tolerant
- aquascape plants; driftwood; all rocks, gravel, and sand (soluble and non-soluble)
Brackish Fishes (monos, scats, some puffers, mollies, gobies)
- 7.8 to 8.0 ph
- moderately hard water
- 74° to 82°F
- specific gravity 1.001 to 1.012
- Aquascape salt tolerant plants (anubias, Java Fern,Mangrove) Driftwood; all rocks, gravel, and sand
Marine Fishes (all coral reef fishes)
- 8.3ph
- moderately hard water
- 76° to 84°F
- specific gravity 1.025
- Aquascape live rock; macroalgae; soluble rocks, gravel, and sand
All parameters and values are suggested approximate preferences only; wide variability and adaptability exist among species and individuals within each category.
Comments are closed.