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Thread: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

  1. #1
    Registered Member Fishworks's Avatar
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    Default 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    Hi all,

    I have a question about suitable pH, kH and gH for grow and keeping captive-bred discus.
    My aquarium water has 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH.
    I have read posts that raising and keeping discus is OK up to 8.5 pH.
    I know wild discus were originally from soft water, so 4 kH and 4 gH must also be OK.
    Also I have cardinal tetra which are also soft water fish in another tank who seem to be doing OK.

    Should I keep my current water parameters?
    or Should I change my pH, kH or gH to grow and keep captive-bred discus?

    Thanks!
    -Harry

  2. #2
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    It’s always best to not mess with your ph. Discus can be kept at your ph and your gh and kh is close enough. Not sure if they will breed though. If your successfully keeping cards than you should have the same luck with discus. Just know discus need clean water. So you have to change water a lot to keep them healthy. If you heard different they are wrong.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Fishworks's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    What about 8.3 pH? still OK?

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    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Fishworks View Post
    What about 8.3 pH? still OK?
    Yup
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  5. #5
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    I'd start with Tom's comment. Your discus needs clean water above all and changing a lot of water is the best approach for every discus keeper.

    It's hard to comment on your water quality specifically because the numbers do not make sense. You're showing very low GH and KH, so what is keeping your pH so high? Low GH and KH means there's very little dissolved ions in the water to do this and pH does not stay up by itself. My recommendation is that you take water samples, both straight from the tap and out of your tank after 24 hours, to the LFS and ask them to test for you. They run tests constantly so their reagents are usually fresher, thereby more accurate.

    As for changing your water, my advice is DON'T. Water chemistry is incredibly complicated. The reagents that promise a drop of this acid and a teaspoon of that buffer do not work. Unstable water conditions is far more stressful to your discus than suboptimal, but clean, water. In fact, unstable water conditions will eventually kill any fish.

    I recommend you get healthy, high quality discus from Simply Discus sponsors (I don't get money for saying this), put them into your tank and change water. You'll have at least a year of enjoying raising discus before worrying about breeding.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  6. #6
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    As always Willies correct ! I too am confused with your readings.

    I still don’t get the whole gh and kh tests or the tds test. For me it was just ph that mattered. 6.0 was soft water 8.4 was hard. But as said strong fish are best. Many sellers on this site with quality discus. Please ask here before you buy online.

  7. #7
    Registered Member Fishworks's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    I'd start with Tom's comment. Your discus needs clean water above all and changing a lot of water is the best approach for every discus keeper.

    It's hard to comment on your water quality specifically because the numbers do not make sense. You're showing very low GH and KH, so what is keeping your pH so high? Low GH and KH means there's very little dissolved ions in the water to do this and pH does not stay up by itself. My recommendation is that you take water samples, both straight from the tap and out of your tank after 24 hours, to the LFS and ask them to test for you. They run tests constantly so their reagents are usually fresher, thereby more accurate.

    As for changing your water, my advice is DON'T. Water chemistry is incredibly complicated. The reagents that promise a drop of this acid and a teaspoon of that buffer do not work. Unstable water conditions is far more stressful to your discus than suboptimal, but clean, water. In fact, unstable water conditions will eventually kill any fish.

    I recommend you get healthy, high quality discus from Simply Discus sponsors (I don't get money for saying this), put them into your tank and change water. You'll have at least a year of enjoying raising discus before worrying about breeding.
    Willie, thanks alot. I will try to get a high quality pH, kH and gH meter. The current tests were done with API pH,kH and gH test kits. Both straight from tap and after 24 hours were also done.

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    As always Willies correct ! I too am confused with your readings.

    I still don’t get the whole gh and kh tests or the tds test. For me it was just ph that mattered. 6.0 was soft water 8.4 was hard. But as said strong fish are best. Many sellers on this site with quality discus. Please ask here before you buy online.
    Thanks also Tom. As said, I used API test kits but I will try to get digital meters.
    Last edited by Fishworks; 09-06-2020 at 02:03 AM.

  8. #8
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    I also use the api test kits. You said you tested the tap and the tank. What were the results for both. For me I tested the tap gh/kh once and wrote on the chart my results. Now both your gh and kh say your water should be soft so the ph of 8.1 just throws me off. Did you use the high ph test? Or the low test? May want to do both.

  9. #9
    Registered Member Fishworks's Avatar
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    Default Re: 8.1 pH, 4 kH, 4 gH water for captive bred discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    I also use the api test kits. You said you tested the tap and the tank. What were the results for both. For me I tested the tap gh/kh once and wrote on the chart my results. Now both your gh and kh say your water should be soft so the ph of 8.1 just throws me off. Did you use the high ph test? Or the low test? May want to do both.
    I performed both low pH test and high pH test.
    The low pH test resulted in the highest color value for low pH which is blue, I believe this means its above the max value for low pH test.
    Then for the high pH test, it was 8.1 pH
    8.1 pH straight out of tap. Then also 8.1 pH, 24 hours after from aerated tank with sponge filter.

    I also wonder about the implications of my pH, kH and gH. For now, I will just believe they are acceptable for raising and keeping captive bred discus.

    Thanks!

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