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Thread: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

  1. #46
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    What is your WC schedule? Are you changing water with 100% RO? With such a low pH you might be sitting on the cliff of a pH crash.

  2. #47
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Hi James - That is exactly what I'm worried about. Today I started adding dechlorinated tap water. Here is what I've been doing and what I plan to do:

    Since the startup of this tank 5 months ago, my water changes have been daily at 50% with RO water and I have been adding back in minerals for plant growth 2 out of three days. Up until I added the 18 discus 2.5 weeks ago the pH has been 6.5. Since then the pH has fallen to 5.4. As of today I have stared adding dechlorinated tap water in the amount of 2 cups her feeding. This may not be enough, but I am starting here. My tap water is around 8.2 pH. What would you suggest at this point to avoid a pH crash?
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  3. #48
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    What is your kH? It will give me a better idea of what to advise you to do. Since you don't want to raise fry you can go with harder water. I would start doing WC with 1/2 aged tap and 1/2 with RO and quit the mineral ferts until we fix your pH problem. What are the ingredients in that liquid fertilizer?
    Mama Bear

  4. #49
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    i will be able to test the kH on Saturday of both the tank water and tap water and then I will post results. I do actually want to raise fry. In the near future I will be building breeder tanks. Next week I plan to move the 12 unpaired discus to an unplanted 125 gallon tank. The liquid fertilizer I use is the GLA PPS-Pro Fert Pack system. Are you already familiar with this system?
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  5. #50
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    PPS-Pro shouldn't cause the pH crash, it also provides an appropriate mixture of salts. Find out your KH and bump it up to around 2-4, gradually, over a few weeks.

    A few points on how I would approach this problem:
    Go slowly
    Start with 1 teaspoon of baking soda (NaHCO3, Arm and Hammer brand) in your WC with RO water
    Check the results
    Do this 3-4 times to get a baseline where you stabilize
    Consider adding 2 teaspoons
    Repeat until you get to a KH you are comfortable with.

    I can't stress enough how much you need to remain consistent. Wildly changing water parameters is what kills discus. The fish are fine right now but you might want to take a few steps back off of the cliff (pH crash). Don't run blindly the other way.

    Do you use a whole-home water softener? If yes then you can likely simplify this by mixing non-softened tap and RO together. Again do it slowly like you are now. Start with 10% tap in your WC and bring it up until you have a KH you are comfortable with.

  6. #51
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    I don't recommend Baking soda for raising kH. It't too short acting. Most folks used crushed coral in a media bag. It's best for helping maintain water stability.
    Mama Bear

  7. #52
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Crushed coral works too, though it's effect will depend on particle size, water movement and quantity.

  8. #53
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    James - Thank you for the advice. Liz and I went back and forth a few times in PM and her advice motivated a few changes to my setup. I tested my tap water before and after letting it age and was pleasantly surprised to find the aged tap water was perfect - pH 6.5 and just the right amount of kH. Since I had a 275 gallon water storage tank on hand, I decided to get it up and running. I have a pH digital monitor so I've been adding the aged water to the tank until the pH bumps up .2 then I finish the water change with RO water. I will work the pH back up to 6.5 slowly over the next few weeks. So far so good and never have the discus looked stressed or upset with their tank. It became apparent I needed to do something to keep the pH from its slow downhill slide. That problem seems to be remedied.

    Thanks to you all for sharing your advice, it has all been most appreciated!

    Discus11_24_18_21_31_52.jpg
    The 275 Gallon Storage Tank - The water inlet is set up so it auto shuts off. There are 4 - 300+ watt heaters and 2 air lines inside the tank. It took 6 hours to fill the tank with my 1/4" feeder line.

    Discus11_24_18_21_32_01.jpg
    The discharge feeds into a 1/2 hp pump that reduces down into my 1/4" supply line. My tank is 25' above the pump so I needed something capable to creating enough head pressure and running the water through the high friction 1/4" line which was already in place from my original install for the RO filter which is housed in the cabinet under the 120 gal tank.

    Discus11_24_18_21_32_26.jpg
    A few valves allow me to fill the storage tank and switch between the RO supply and the aged tap water supply.
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  9. #54
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Discus11_24_18_21_05_31.jpg
    In the cabinet you can see more valves to direct water between the RO filter and aged tap water but also to change between filling the 120 and the 125 gallon tanks.

    Discus11_24_18_21_05_38.jpg
    In the middle of the cabinet is my 20lb CO2 cylinder, high pressure extension hose (very hard to find), regulator, bubble counter and pH controller. Because I am bringing the pH back up and do not want to stress the fish, I set the pH controller .2 higher than what it currently at when I do a water change and then set the CO2 to turn on if the pH happens to run higher than that .2 increase so as to keep the pH from running any higher. So far I've been able to monitor the pH and the CO2 hasn't had to kick on. I will work CO2 back into the tank for plant growth once I get the pH up to 6.5 AND the 12 unpaired discus get moved to the 125 gallon tank.

    Discus11_24_18_21_05_22.jpg

    The canister filter and temp controller sit on the left side. The cabinet space is only half the width of the aquarium so I could build a book shelf over the mattress on the other side of the tank. This makes everything super crowded under the tank, but it works.
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  10. #55
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Discus11_24_18_21_07_45.jpg
    I believe this is the 4th attempt for this pair. On attempt 2 they had wigglers. Then the 3rd spawn was small and they ate them all rather quickly. This spawn is larger and they are guarding them much more aggressively.

    Discus11_24_18_21_07_21.jpg
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  11. #56
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  12. #57
    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Tank and fish look gr8 Nate.

  13. #58
    Registered Member Marc Davis's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Maturing very well

  14. #59
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    Wow that’s some system !!!

    The fish will love the ph and when it’s all dialled in it will be so simple to maintain and manage the water changes !

    Without the help on here I don’t think any of us would have a chance at getting the fish to succeed!

    Great thread
    Mick

  15. #60
    Registered Member Nate454's Avatar
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    Default Re: 120 Gallon Tank as Footboard to Cedar Bed

    I came home from work this morning to discover my Red Eagle x HD Forrest Giant Blue pair are now parenting 75 wigglers. AND there is a new pair - a beautiful pair of Red Eagles.

    Discus_____11_26_18_12_20_17.jpg
    Discus_____11_26_18_13_54_32.jpg
    120 Discus Show Tank / 125 Grow Out Tank / Fish Room (almost) Under Construction
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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