Raising Discus in San Francisco Water?

[jarsofkimchee]

Hello everyone! My name is Jonathan. I am new to the forum and discus, and I need your help! I live in San Francisco where the water from the tap pours out with a pH of 7.6. and I was wondering how other San Franciscans treat their water for their discus tanks. Currently I am using Seachem Neutral Regulator and Seachem Discus Buffer, but I am afraid that the pH fluctuates a little bit every day because of the buffer errors, making water conditions inconsistent. Also, I have read on other threads that the chemicals in these products are more harmful to fish than beneficial. If you're a fellow San Franciscan, please share your water treatment secrets! Thanks!

[Chicago Discus]

Hello everyone! My name is Jonathan. I am new to the forum and discus, and I need your help! I live in San Francisco where the water from the tap pours out with a pH of 7.6. and I was wondering how other San Franciscans treat their water for their discus tanks. Currently I am using Seachem Neutral Regulator and Seachem Discus Buffer, but I am afraid that the pH fluctuates a little bit every day because of the buffer errors, making water conditions inconsistent. Also, I have read on other threads that the chemicals in these products are more harmful to fish than beneficial. If you're a fellow San Franciscan, please share your water treatment secrets! Thanks!
welcome to simply Mr. Kimchee well I don't live in San Francisco, but what can do is a little experiment to figure out where your PH is ok fill up a bucket with your tap water test the PH then stick an air stone in the bucket and let that aerate for 24 hours. Check the PH it probably will change, and thats ok because then you'll know what your PH will be after 24 hours. Aging water helps you get more accurate readings and creates a more stable environment for your fish. I would stop using all the buffers and try this you will see that your PH levels will be more stable. Welcome again to our Forum and enjoy yourself..............My 2 cents...........................Josie

[DonMD]

I always thought the water in SF came from Hetch Hetchy, and was very soft, acidic. I'm surprised to learn that you're getting a high pH reading.

[Skip]

Hello everyone! My name is Jonathan. I am new to the forum and discus, and I need your help! I live in San Francisco where the water from the tap pours out with a pH of 7.6. and I was wondering how other San Franciscans treat their water for their discus tanks. Currently I am using Seachem Neutral Regulator and Seachem Discus Buffer, but I am afraid that the pH fluctuates a little bit every day because of the buffer errors, making water conditions inconsistent. Also, I have read on other threads that the chemicals in these products are more harmful to fish than beneficial. If you're a fellow San Franciscan, please share your water treatment secrets! Thanks!

exactly!! hence reason NOT to use those products..

you fish will be fine the pH they have.. CONSISTENCY is the key.. there is no real reason to buffer.. 7.6 pH out of the tap is fine..

but what is the pH in the tank the NEXT DAY..?

[ZX10R]

7.6 pH out of the tap is fine..

Yep couldn't agree more. My PH is 7.5 unless you are keeping wild heckels then you are fine. All you are doing with those buffers is stressing the fish with PH swings.

Just my 2 cents also

[jarsofkimchee]

cool thanks a lot guys. this makes a lot of sense. i think i've been stressing the heck out of my fish with these inconsistent water conditions

[johnnathan]

Hi Kimchee

I live in Fremont, CA Bay area.. i only treat my tap water with Seachem Prime..

I do Discus Breeding and Raising and no problem at all.

[TURQ64]

As far as I know, San Francisco is still on water from Hetch-Hetchy res. Some of the finest breeders of Discus, and me too, used it straight out of the tap, except in winter, with dechlors used to neutralize the city's change from chlorine to chloramine...
'Fairy Lake Discus Palace'......I was tempted to buy it once when Herman offered it, but I moved here to the Midwest instead...

[moon_knight1971]

Hiya Jonathan! Joey over here in Pacifica and use tap water and Seachem Safe (powered version of Seachem Prime. You actually get alot more for your money this way). The water is too hard for breeding though so you will need R/O if you want the eggs to hatch. Check out Kenny's Discus. He's a sponsor here and has the best discus you're going to see in Northern CA as well as being a great informative guy!

Joey!

[TURQ64]

I guess I have to disagree on a point or two here. Perhaps CliffsDiscus will chime in, as he's 'in town'...The 'Bay Area' gets water from many sources. Pacifica gets it from a different source than Daly City, (Kenny), even tho' they sit side by side. SF's Hetch-Hetchy water has proven in tests to be superior to many brands of bottled water,as an example. I bred thousands of Discus in Hetch-Hetchy water, along with a few other species, and never had a problem with hatch rates. I found the mineralisation 'perfect'..I cited Herman Chan because he cross bred Heckel's in SF tap (without dechlors then!).....I moved from the area in 2005..Gary