Hard Water and High PH in our area

[RoJeN]

Hi! to all Good Day,

I'm new member here and also got only 1 month experience for keeping this discus hobby.

tank:
44g
BB
2 sponge filter
2 air stone
1 diy head-on sump filter
6 pcs (3" body discus)
Ammonia - 0.50
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0

just a question mates I just want to make sure, is it ok my tap water ph 8.6 and tds almost hit 800 for my discus? slowly acclimate.
since I bought them I use RO 80% and 20% tap then got my tds 100ppm and 7.0 PH. but now I want to use only tap water with prime but my ph on top water is 8.6 and tds almost 800ppm.
I just want to use tap water because buying ro here is already expensive because I keep water changes, btw I live in rural area 1hr far from city. thanks in advance

[jeep]

Welcome to Simply! We'll try to help you with your questions.

First off, I would suggest getting a larger tank. It's recommended that discus have a minimum 10 gallons per adult. I'm retty sure you want your fish to grow healthy and to their full potential, so 44 gallons will be pretty cramped and water quality can easily suffer.

You're showing 0 nitrates and .5 ammonia so my guess is your filter isn't properly cycled yet. A well cycled filter will always show nitrates and you want to keep them at <5.

Now your water... 800 TDS is pretty high but it's all about the content. Can you pick up a KH/GH test kit? This will reflect your true carbonate hardness. Using straight RO can get expensive, but it's not necessary. You're already mixing RO and tap at 20% to get 100 TDS water. If absolutely necessary, can you mix say 50/50? Or even 75% tap and 25% RO? My TDS is 500 and my discus thrive! You can always use the RO waste water for drinking, plants, etc... to make usage more efficient...

[RoJeN]

Hi! jeep thanks for the reply and time , yes I'm planning to buy larger tank next month . I just buy gh kit after work and test it all again.

this is my reading to my aged tap water with prime added, it's already 5 days since I aged it and add prime. I thought it will change water ph and hardness when I add prime and aged a little longer but still the same.

My Tap Water:
PH - 8.6
GH - 31
KH - 31
Tds - 784ppm
Ammonia - 0.50
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0

I'm planning to introduce them slowly to my tap water because buying always ro water here in our location is expensive because I keep WC always. I want to use 100% tap water but still don't know if it is alright for them.

[danotaylor]

Yikes, buying RO water!

[LizStreithorst]

Your tap water alone will be fine. What is most necessary is to check the stability of your pH. To do this, test the pH of the water straight from the tap, then fill a clean bucket with tap water and put in a bubbler. After 12 hrs test the pH of the water in your tank. Let us know if the pH remains the same, goes up or goes down and how much. This is critical to keeping your fish happy. Discus can take a big pH swing once in a great while, but a swing of .4 or more will be detrimental to the health of your fish. Discus can not handle a constant swing with each WC.

As Brian said earlier, your tank is not completely cycled. Keep changing water both more often and with a greater amount of water until your pH reads 0 and your Nitrates are 5.

[RoJeN]

thanks for the reply mates , @LizStreithorst I already do what you said Liz and water straight from the tap it takes 8.7 down to 8.6 after 12 hrs in a clean bucket with a bubbler. this means the swing .1 is ok than .4 and up am I right?
btw what do you mean "until your pH reads 0" ? means stable PH keep in 8.6 always not swinging?. good to here that my water hardness is ok, I will just watch out for the water ph better then introduce them slowly to their new water parameter 100% tap

[LizStreithorst]

Your pH swing is insignificant. What is your water change regime?

[danotaylor]

Talking about your tank not being cycled yet Liz meant until your ammonia is 0

[LizStreithorst]

Dan is correct. I mis-typed.

[RoJeN]

@danotaylor thanks for the correction dan

what Liz mean "until your ammonia reads 0 and your Nitrates are 5" am I correct?

@LizStreithorst I water change every 2 days 30% and 60% weekend if I have day off at work.