AquaticSuppliers.com     Cafepress Store

Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Building my Water Change schedule

  1. #1
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Palmdale, CA
    Posts
    28
    Real Name
    Mickie

    Default Building my Water Change schedule

    Hello all. Been keeping discus for a little over a month now and everything has been going well. Fish are happy and eating, the one discus I bought that looked sunken and stunted is starting to fill in. I've been doing water changes with 100% tap every 2-3 days.

    Water Parameters -
    ph 7.4
    ammonia-0
    nitrites -0
    nitrates-5 (just checked)
    kh-4
    gh-6
    TDS -262

    I'm thinking I can space the water changes out to maybe 4-5 days, given the TDS and nitrates. I don't mind keeping the schedule I'm currently on, but I think I could space it out until my TDS reaches 300 and Nitrates hit 10 whichever comes first. Let me know what you think.

    I feed either Fluval bug bites, Cobalt flakes, or tetracolor pellets in the am. At night I alternate between brine shrimp, blood worms, or hikari discus pellets with spirulina. Some algae wafers here and there.
    Last edited by RuinerM3; 03-10-2018 at 04:29 PM.

  2. #2
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Halifax,Canada
    Posts
    2,498
    Real Name
    Mervin

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    I think one should know at least the size of the tank and how many discus.

  3. #3
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Palmdale, CA
    Posts
    28
    Real Name
    Mickie

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    54 Corner using a Marineland C220. Carbon cartridges removed, doubled sponge count.
    1 4" Snakeskin
    1 3.5" Diamond
    1 3.5" Red Pigeonblood
    1 3" Yellow Pigeon

    Last water change was Wed 3/7.

    Parameters today -
    Everything the same except
    Nitrates -5
    TDS - 272

    Going to do a water change now most likely
    Last edited by RuinerM3; 03-11-2018 at 07:05 PM.

  4. #4
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Palmdale, CA
    Posts
    28
    Real Name
    Mickie

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    Just checked the TDS before doing the water change and it was back down to 264. The 272 was 15 minutes after feeding time.

    Would it be safe to let TDS go to 300 and Nitrates around 10 before doing WC? Or am I not thinking of everything and just stick to my current schedule?

  5. #5
    Registered Member Sabrina's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    355
    Real Name
    Sabrina

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    Hi Ruiner,

    I don't know what TDS is at all, but what I do know is you have Juvies by the sizes your wrote above, they need fresh water to grow, you need to be doing daily If not every second day water changes for them. Its very important when they are young to have lots of fresh water as often as you can manage. You don't need to do crazy water change amounts like 50% or more (unless something is wrong), just constant ones of about 30% should be ok.

  6. #6
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    741

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    I don't think following test readings is very useful unless you're having a problem. Just do what the fish tell you and what your schedule allows if you can't do the daily grind.

  7. #7
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Palmdale, CA
    Posts
    28
    Real Name
    Mickie

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    I think for now I'll stick to the every 3 day WC. It really doesn't take up that much time, but the every other day water change would. I have 2 toddlers that are just about potty trained, and the bathroom I use to do the WC is the one they use to go potty, so kind of hard because they seem to always both have to go while I'm in the middle of WC.

    The fish look happy, and eat well. They interact with me, each other, and their tank mates, and all but one look super healthy. The smallest one is starting to eat with every feeding (was only eating bloodworms), not as much as I'd like but more and more each day.

    I think I'm trying to approach discus keeping from more of a scientific point of view. Knowing that Discus don't like high Nitrates, or dirty water. Given that TDS is a measurable amount of potential waste/dirt, maybe keeping a WC schedule where TDS is lower than say, 350 might be optimal and possibly less stressful for them.
    Last edited by RuinerM3; 03-11-2018 at 11:57 PM.

  8. #8
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    741

    Default Re: Building my Water Change schedule

    The scientific approach is admirable, but TDS may mislead you. My tap measures anywhere from 430ppm to 460ppm depending on the time of the year. TDS is also affected by temperature.

    If you really want to geek out on water quality, invest in an ORP meter.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress