Originally Posted by
jeep
Not necessarily. RO is used mainly for breeding in order to bring TDS down to around 60-80ppm to allow for fertilization. or when someone's water supply is not ideal for discus because of heavy metals or contaminants. However, RO water removes much needed trace minerals that growing discus must have to reach their maximum potential. Also, RO lacks the buffering ability to maintain stabile ph if its not monitored and maintained regularly. By changing 10-50% weekly you may see ph fluctuations and can risk a ph crash in a short time depending on bio-load. Many people who do use RO will reconstitute the water by using some waste water or a combination of minerals to achieve a proper TDS and stabile ph. But, most water is just fine for discus from the source. The concept that all discus require soft water is a myth. They adapt quite well to harder water...