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Thread: Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day ?!

  1. #1
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    Unhappy Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day ?!

    So I went to the LFS and asked how I would go about conditioning Houston, Texas' hard tap water (pH 7.5-7.6 , KH 70 ppm (3.9) , GH 140 ppm)

    What measures would you take to make this water appropriate for Discus?
    My LFS advice was to just add Acid Buffer and obviously decholrinator. Must I mix my tap with RO water to reduce the KH and GH? I am aware that there is not chemical like that which modifies pH to modify the TDS as this requires mechanical processing to reduce the KH and GH. But would putting Dicus in this type of water after just adding Acid buffer to get the pH about a 6.8?

    Also, my LFS guy told me that KH is the hardness that matters and not so much the GH. I vaguely get this rom forum posts I have read but would like to be sure. THANKS so MUCH in ADVANCE!

    I also got Discus buffer but opted for the Acid buffer as this is a non-phosphate buffer. I have gotten from many posts that buffers are not good as they allow or great swings in pH with little forgiveness, so please verify if possible please!

    Also, having already cycled my tank for about 3 days and "jump starting" it with Quick Start from API and adding 2 cap fulls of Ammonia to give the nitrifying bacteria something to feed off. I just did a test on the water and am getting reading of about 1.5 ppm, it doesn't seem to be exactly 2.0 ppm as it was about that yesterday, all I know is the indicator is a lighter green than it was when I tested it yesterday, could this be true? Has my colony begun to develop that fast?
    I then tested for Nitrites and did not get a reading of 0 ppm thats for sure as the indicator was a little purple, so perhaps around .25 ppm? Then I tested the Nitrates and it seems to have a value and is not just solid yellow indicating 0 ppm. Has my bacteria colony already begun to break the ammonia down and establish itself?

    Also should I add more ammonia? I heard about 4.0 ppm is ideal. Thanks for reading my story and helping me out! Much love from Houston, Tx!

  2. #2
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day

    I think you got bamboozled on the buffer stuff. Before I cooked them with improper heater use, I kept a pair of discus in hard AZ tap. 7.8 ph, 460 tds. I had no interest in breeding them, but they laid (infertile) eggs every 10 days or so.

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    Default Re: Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam S View Post
    I think you got bamboozled on the buffer stuff. Before I cooked them with improper heater use, I kept a pair of discus in hard AZ tap. 7.8 ph, 460 tds. I had no interest in breeding them, but they laid (infertile) eggs every 10 days or so.
    I have no interest in breeding them either. So I would assume gvien your parameters I would be okay with the water out of my tap? Also, what do you mean cooked? The heater wnet haywire?

  4. #4
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day

    Your parameters are good to keep discus on tap water without any additives .
    Its on the softer side with low KH value so if you are lucky you might even get some baby discus free swimers without an RO unit .

    About the cycle , its perfectly normal to have the cycle instantly going because you have already added bottled bacterial culture .
    Now just feed the bacteria with Ammonia and measure the parameters . Once ammonia and nitrite are O, couple of hours after you dose ammonia , and you have only nitrates detectable
    than you can start thinking about adding your discus .

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Did I get ill advice? Can I keep Discus with this KH & GH? Also, Cycling 3rd Day

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip View Post
    Your parameters are good to keep discus on tap water without any additives .
    Its on the softer side with low KH value so if you are lucky you might even get some baby discus free swimers without an RO unit .

    About the cycle , its perfectly normal to have the cycle instantly going because you have already added bottled bacterial culture .
    Now just feed the bacteria with Ammonia and measure the parameters . Once ammonia and nitrite are O, couple of hours after you dose ammonia , and you have only nitrates detectable
    than you can start thinking about adding your discus .
    Wow! That is great news! I am glad to be able to stay away from the buffers. I was worried about the pH and KH, but this information makes me feel more comfortable about keeping these guys. I will be dosing up my tank with just a little more ammonia tonight and will be testing the water before and after for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. I will update you guys when it happens. Thanks again for the help!

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