hard-water fish

Question
My friend has a ten gallon tank, and he added coral sand to make the water hard.  He did it for cichlids, but I told him (as well as fellow other hobbyists) that a 10 gallon is too small.  Now he has coral sand and gravel, and a high pH.  What fish (freshwater and no cichlids) are good at a high (8.2-8.4) pH?


I don't know his stats, but I do know that his temp is 76-78

Answer
That is HIGH PH.  The problem is is that the PH will not change unless you take the coral sand out (or coral and sand, whatever he did).  I would totally empty the tank out and start again if it were mine.  It's best, unless you know EVERYTHING you can about a particular species, that you do NOT do anything to mess with the water, especially something THAT extreme.  And to do this if you are a beginner is just not something you want to do at all.  Period.

Again, he will not be able to get the PH down and/or STAY DOWN unless he gets all that sand coral OUT of the tank.  Start all over again and don't mess with the PH at all.  Most fish can deal with whatever PH levels you have, except for the most delicate of fish, which with a 10 gallon tank, you don't want or need anyway.

Hope this helps clear some things up!!

Good luck!!   ;o)