any aquarists here? I need some help...

[Bolisnide]

while i agree with carlos that your ph is high, it's not unheard of for tetras to thrive in a hard water environment. tetras can be found throughout the amazon river system, including the semi-brackish and brackish delta systems. think about if for a moment, you have had them in your tank, under the same water chemistry for 2 years. i highly doubt that ph is the reason that you are having issues. i would agree that a ph swing and improper acclimation may have caused tetra b's demise, but if your lfs is in the same town as you, they are most likely using the same tap water supply that you are.

as far as softening the water, thise buffers are bad, bad, BAD for the plants. aquatic plants do not handle excessive chemicals very well. if you truly want to soften your water some, i would recommend adding peat to your filter. i know fluval makes a peat bag for filters, and i amsure eheim and aquaclear also make the same. in all my shrimp tanks where i needed low ph levels (5.0-6.4), i always kept a layer of peat moss under my substrate. and my tap is 6.8.

Well.... I have read that tetras can adapt to hard and high alkaline water.
And I have had 5 tetras for 2 years....
Maybe the first tetra that died, just died of old age? What is their lifespan typically?
hmmmmmmmm........ so I really want plants in the tank, so.........

But, want to add, that I also want the fish to be happy and healthy. I have read, and heard, and have been told, that tetras like acidic to neutral water.

[deranged chipmunk]

yes, tetras are extremely hardy fish and can and do acclimate to harder water quality. i know guys who keep neons in 8.2 ph levels. one guy actually uses water from a flooded limestone quarry in his tanks because it is pure, clean and free....lol
i have never kept glowlights, but if i recall correctly, they live about 2-5 years. i prefer the smaller tetras (neon, cardinal, von rio) and the largest ones (pirhana).

[Lija]

you know what guys, I've kept fish for n years, but not anymore though as frogs and snakes took all the space lol
the thing is after reading this I'm realizing I had absolutely no idea of what I was doing hm...
thank you!

[deranged chipmunk]

i somehow find that very hard to believe

[Bolisnide]

Okay, this is what I decided:

I'm going to keep all inhabitants, including the pleco...
I'm not going to add a 5th glowlight tetra.
I have fertilized the plants with the API root tabs, and replaced my bulb (because it was 2 yrs old).
I am going to see how it goes for now, and not soften my water.

I also added 3 peacock ferns (thought they were pretty).

I tested my water at the lfs and my nitrates were at 40 ppm, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and pH came in a 7.8.

I'll post pics of the progress with the plants

AND- Thank you so much for all the info Carlos and Bill! You guys rock!

[deranged chipmunk]

you are so welcome, but you are going to hate me when i tell you that the peacock fern is a marginal and will rot and die submerged :-(

[Bolisnide]

you are so welcome, but you are going to hate me when i tell you that the peacock fern is a marginal and will rot and die submerged :-(

My lfs sucks! They said it would be a nice addition?
I have no idea what marginal means?