PlanetCatfish.com

Hi everyone! First post for me here I have a science background and fish keeping has always appealed to me. I've been keeping fish for a number of years now (almost 10?), but am only just now getting more serious.

I joined because I wanted to ask you all your advice on ideal water parameters.

My tap water has a pH of 7.4-7.6 and nitrates of 20-40 ppm. It seems to be hit or miss with my fish. Some are doing great and some just die off. I think sometimes I just get bad stock. Not sure. So, I'm trying to bring down this nitrate level. I do weekly 50% water changes. I grow plants in all of my tanks and also have driftwood. This past weekend, I added pothos plants and Purigen to the tanks. I haven't checked the water parameters since then. I'm curious to see what they are this weekend when I check again.

Plecos are my favorite fish. I'd like to tailor my tanks to them. Right now, I have 3 clowns, 3 blue eyed lemon bn, and a spotted orange seam. I am currently cycling a 40 gallon breeder (so close to being ready!) that will be a pleco only tank. I am debating what other type(s) of plecos to buy. I would like to start breeding, but the water quality is a consideration.

What would you recommend/suggest? Should I invest in a RODI water units to bring down nitrates (I wouldn't do 100% water changes with it.)
Also, I haven't checked the GH/KH of my tap. How much should I be concerned about that?
What types of plecos should I avoid due to their sensitivity to water conditions?
Anything else I should think about?

Thanks for your expertise my friends!

I had similar parameters and results that you are until I switched to RO (DI is overkill for freshwater) now nitrates, nitrite and ammonia all 0, and I can control KH with addition of tap water. So far running dKH at 3 and everyone is happy in the tank

You are better to consider a group of the same species, a mixed bag of different plecos is just that,a group of the same species has more interesting interaction among the members.