ph question

[Joander123]

hey guys. Setting up my first discus tank, well it is set up... but im planning for when i actually get the fish. My tap water tests out at a ph of about 7.5, which was actually a bit surprising to me as it is usually right around 7. Anyways, wondering if 7.5 is a bit to high? I see people who say its not, and that discus can be kept in like 7.8 but is this done often?


i have an RO unit for my reef tank, but i only change water in that once every 2 or 3 weeks, and it would be a pain to have to change 50% everyday for the discus if i had to use RO water.

I thought of chemicals, but i would really go through them fast, and it would end up costing an awful lot in the long run.

Wondering what i can throw in my filter to bring down the ph? I've heard of Peat, how does this work?

Is it bad if i have a PH lowering agent in my filter, so the tank ph is lower than the tap water ph that i am adding into the tank for water changes?

Thanks,
Jay

[kaceyo]

Hi Jay.
The people who say that 7.8 is not too high for keeping discus are right. You can skip right past all the questions you've listed and just add your tap water without worries. The only thing you need to be concerned about right off is treating for chlorine/chloramines. Aging will take care of dechlorination and usinng Prime, AmQuel or equivilent will take care of chloramines if present.

Kacey

[phidelt85]

I'm no expert but if you're not looking to breed, I don't see a problem with 7.5 as your pH. I personally would shy away from using chemicals to alter your pH. As you said it will take a bit depending on your kH but by using chems to drop your pH, you're just opening yourself up for a crash or erratic pH swings. These are more detrimental and stressful to your discus versus a stable pH that may be slightly higher than you may care to have.

In regards to using more natural ways of lowering your pH, yes, peat can help bring down your pH if your kH is not too high. I've tried to use it on my well water but don't see a significant change due to my elevated kH values.

My suggestion is to just roll with the 7.5. It will make your water changes so much easier if you just have to match temp and dechlorinate.

Just my $.02

[Joander123]

ok, i plan both aging and using prime. Say i didnt age, ill affects? If i still wanted to use peat, is this ok?

Also, can wild discus live in my tap water?? Because i am interested in wild discus.


Sorry, i posted before i saw your post phil. I would like to eventually breed, but certainly not right off the bat. =)

[phidelt85]

Whats the kH of your water? If you're aging your water then add a recirc loop on the storage tank to run through peat as well that way your change water should be the same pH as your tank.

I don't have wilds and hopefully someone who does will chime in; however, I do believe wilds should be kept at their natural pH unless they have already been slowly acclimated to elevated pHs. Don't take this as truth yet until some of the more experience members regarding wilds chime in. :D

[Joander123]

sorry, i dont know the KH of my water,i need a new kit.

Edit: although i can add that i usually have moderate KH.

[Polar_Bear]

I had my wilds in pH 7.6-7.8 water, they did fine. Now they are in a mix of RO and tap and so are in pH 6.2 or so water, no real difference in their colors or behavior that I can see.

[mikel]

I am relatively new to discus, and I use to worry about this procise question about water too. But I realize, from all the help here (and Al, the owner of the site), that discus fish in general are quite resilient about PH. They care more about nitrate cleanliness than anything less...so it is more important to maintain consistency with your ph and keep up the WC.

My water comes out of the tap at 7 to 7.5...I actually dont know precisely (and at this point, dont care too much anymore). But I age the water, and use amquil plus. I also have no problems using the water right off the tap and adding directly into the tank (temp adjusted of course and water conditioned with amquil) if I need to. Both ways, my discus seem to be perfectly content and eating heartly. My water is very soft, so it is easy for me to change the ph anyway I like....but I stop using the neutral regulator (to keep ph at 7) awhile ago to make my life easier, and to eliminate one more chemical additive, which cost money, and takes time, and is never all that good for the fish in the long run. So, make sure you have a good water change regiment and condition the water....age or direct from the tap are both fine. I am sure your wilds will also accimate quite well too for this.

I have peat pellets too...have not used it. But I think if I were to try to get my fish to breed, I would use it by hanging it in the filter chamber or in a corner of the tank. It is suppose to slowly and gently reduce the ph and add tannin to the water. I would use it only for breeding???!!! Or just to make my wilds more happy, if I had any. mike

[brewmaster15]

Hi Jay,
Your water is fine for both wilds and domestics...Its very similar to mine here.:)

-al

[Apistomaster]

Ditto.

[2sybs]

Jay
I am not going against any of these experts as they know a whole lot more than I do and I am learning lots from them but just wanted to add to what they have already advised you in that, Discus DO NOT like sudden change in water conditions and since it sounds like you haven't actually gotten the fish yet you should check on the water conditions (PH etc.) of wherever you do end up buying them from and if it is different from yours you should probably adjust it accordingly and gradually bring it back to what yours is. small changes with each wc. So the discus don't turn dark, hide and give you lots of little fishy glares. And they will if they don't like the conditions. :p
Ray

[Joander123]

well ray, i plan on getting my discus from Al, as he doesnt live to far from me. He says his water is very similar to mine, so looks like i dont even have to worry =).

[2sybs]

Awesome, then you are set. :D
I envy you, wish I lived close to Al. Or any of the great people here.