Discus and PH

[msn]

Hello everyone, I just set up my 2 ft tank with 3 turquoise discus with red pebbles and power filter. The fishes do not look calm but they were swimming wild. PH test was 7.0. Is that OK and if not how can I ensure the Discus are happy in my tank. Thank you.

[White Worm]

Welcome to simply! Did you cycle your tank? You need to provide much more info before anyone can give you advice on how to keep your discus happy.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=61955

[msn]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Frankly I did not cycle my water. I added some peat too but no difference. Its been a week the tank and fishes are around and I took PH reading every night and it stays constant at 7 ~ 7.5.

[dishpanhands]

Your going to need to do 2 or 3 large water changes a day for the next month to 6 weeks..Or you can get you some Bio-spira. They say it works.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3974+15462&pcatid=15462


HTH

[dishpanhands]

Your going to need to test for ammonia, nitrite now and change the water to keep it low till you get the bio-spira or you start see nitrate in a few weeks..

[dishpanhands]

Side note if you get it from that link you might as well order frozen food. they charge the same shipping and you can order all you want for that shipping charge..

[White Worm]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Frankly I did not cycle my water. I added some peat too but no difference. Its been a week the tank and fishes are around and I took PH reading every night and it stays constant at 7 ~ 7.5.

Here is the cycle.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dnitrite%2Bcycle%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26x%3Dwrt%26js%3D1%26ni%3D20&w=400&h=250&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F12%2F18169206_4434e1b6e 4_m.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fsgt999 99%2F18169206%2F&size=17.3kB&name=18169206_4434e1b6e4.jpg&p=nitrite+cycle&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=120&oid=65f4f72be5b2f4d2&fusr=sgt99999&***=Nitrogen+Cycle+Toxins+Graph&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fsgt999 99%2F&ei=UTF-8&src=p

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dnitrite%2Bcycle%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26x%3Dwrt%26js%3D1%26ni%3D20&w=542&h=328&imgurl=research.yale.edu%2Fpeabody%2FCICHLID%2FMO% 2Fn-cycle.gif&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmalawicichlids.com%2Fmw01017.htm&size=7.6kB&name=n-cycle.gif&p=nitrite+cycle&type=gif&no=9&tt=120&oid=f852b64540e202d8&ei=UTF-8

[DiscusOnly]

Side note if you get it from that link you might as well order frozen food. they charge the same shipping and you can order all you want for that shipping charge..

I belive frozen food shipment is a separate ~$20 fee. I recently ordered some prime and discus pellet and was going to order a box of FBW but there was an separate shipping charge.

[aquaticplantman]

As long as your tests have been accurate, and your pH has stayed between 7 and 7.5, then pH is not the issue. As stated, test for ammonia and nitrates/nitrites also.

My best guess is that you didn't treat the water to get rid of Chlorine and/or Chloramines. You would need to use a product such as Prime or AmQuel for that. But then, if you had never treated the water for that, your fish would probably already be dead, but you said they've been there for a week, right?

Get back to us with more details. Good luck. And check your tank temperature. Bump it up to 86 F.

-- Matt H.

[msn]

Hi All, you guys are simply great with fast responses.

Further info:
1) the temperature reads at 86 constant for the past 1 week.
2) PH stable at 7.0 for the past 1 week (use Sera PH tester)
3) Filter is a BOYU SP 1000 II submersible power filter @ 550L/Hr
4) Gravel is reddish brown

Maybe as you guys mentioned, I should be checking on the nitrate contents and have more regular large water changes for the next 1 month. I have been feeding them with frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worms. Are those foog enough to get them healthy and grow?

[dishpanhands]

I belive frozen food shipment is a separate ~$20 fee. I recently ordered some prime and discus pellet and was going to order a box of FBW but there was an separate shipping charge.

the Bio-spira gets the frozen food shipping charge and it is $20.00 and once you pay that charge you can order all the frozen food you want.



Maybe as you guys mentioned, I should be checking on the nitrate contents and have more regular large water changes for the next 1 month

you should be watching your ammonia right now. with PH above 7.0 the ammonia is bad stuff. you will have to do large water changes to keep it low.. might take a few every day to keep it down. then in a week or two you will need to watch the nitrite.


HTH

[wilddiscuss]

Hi All, you guys are simply great with fast responses.

Further info:
1) the temperature reads at 86 constant for the past 1 week.
2) PH stable at 7.0 for the past 1 week (use Sera PH tester)
3) Filter is a BOYU SP 1000 II submersible power filter @ 550L/Hr
4) Gravel is reddish brown

Maybe as you guys mentioned, I should be checking on the nitrate contents and have more regular large water changes for the next 1 month. I have been feeding them with frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worms. Are those foog enough to get them healthy and grow?

Those foods are good for discus. But my best advice for you is to hammer through simply. All the stcky topics that are under this ares discus basics for beginners. Did you know about the nitrogen cycle? Have you kept fish before? Some people like to get there discus and put them in the tank as you did and do tons of water changes to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrite down. But honestly it is just too much for me to do due to work and what not. But the main goal for you is, that it can be done. If that was your intentions...wonderful, if not you do need to do the water changes and buy the water test kits immediatly and check your ammonia and nitrite. Or you will loose these discus. They are toxic to the fish and will kill them. Let me link you there.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=20954

Please read it. But as I said if you already know it's all good.

Take Care,

Todd

[judy]

What Todd said: your discus are in a tank that is cycling now, and that means fatally-poisonous levels of first ammonia, then nitrite, will happen and are very likley starting to happen right now.
Ammonia, Nitrite. THOSE are the things you MUST test for twice daily, and keep doing large water changes, up to three times daily, to make sure those levels do not go up.
It is very, very risky to try to keep discus in a tank that's cycling, but it can be done if you do those things faithfully.
Nitrite and nitrate are two different things. Nitrate is not an issue at this point, and won't be an issue for months. Get on top of that cycling thing now, or you will lose your fish. Read the sticky topics on these forums to learn hpw a cycle works and why it will kill your fish if you don't get on top of it. If you do stay on top of it, you can get them through this in good shape, but you do have a big job ahead of you for about the next five weeks.