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Thread: My tap water is not the best for discus

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    Default My tap water is not the best for discus

    My tap water pH is 8.12, kH 120ppm and gH is 330ppm. That is a little out of safe limits for discus. I will be getting 5 discus this coming Tuesday, so I used RO water to fill 40 gallon tank. Today I want to add some tap water since RO water is too clean. My question is, how close should I stay to "perfect" parameters for my initial water? For practical reasons, eventually, I want to use aged tap water mixed with small amount of RO water. How fast can I change? My discus will be 4-4.5 inches, so they should be somewhat less sensitive to less then ideal parameters.Thank you for your help.
    Last edited by Waterobert; 11-06-2022 at 09:44 AM. Reason: typing error

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    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Your tap water will be just fine for your Discus. Like me, you will only have to use RO for breeding. Have you checked your water for a pH swing yet? It can be important if the swing is .4 or more.
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Thanks, my tap water starts at 7.9 and next day is 8.12 according to Hanna pHep+ pen checker. In my 40 gallon pH currently is 5.59, however I had readings around 5.9 this week. I was checking at the evening time every day, since this checker has also temperature probe and I wanted to know how stable my temperature was. So far it is 83-83.4F, should I bump it up? I wonder what parameters Golden State Discus use and their Malaysian supplier?

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    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    That makes your life easier. The only reason you might want to age is to keep the temp of the water change water the same as the tank water.

    Don't worry about the pH of the water the fish came from. Discus can handle a big swing once in a long while. What stresses them is a daily swing up and down.
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    I agree your water should be just fine. Discus simply want a stabile ph and in most cases hardness is not an issue unless it's too soft then ph can crash. This is why your 40g with RO tank has low ph. With additional bio-load, it'll continue to drop unless refreshed regularly.

    Domestic discus can easily and quickly adapt to different water parameters, even ph (as longs as it's stabile). To be sure, you can call Golden State and ask them their water parameters.

    When your fish arrive, don't do a drip acclimation. Just float the bags for 15-20 minutes, open one bag at a time, remove the fish with your hand or a net and drop it in the tank. Don't use the bag water.

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Your tap water is fine as is, assuming it isn't chlorinated, in which case you just need to add Safe or Prime. I have very similar pH and hardness above 400 ppm. My fish are fine. I think the hard water actually helps buffer against pH changes. You can enter hard water into the search bar at top and see lots of similar responses. Sounds like you are relying on old information.
    Steve
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Thank you guys!
    I only discovered this forum last Sunday, so yes some of the information I have might be a little old, lol. Since I already have RO water in the tank, today I will make 50% water change and use tap water. Once I get my fish I will do water changes with aged tap water. Probably, for the first few times I will add 10-20% of RO water. Better safe than sorry.
    For the food, I have Vibra Bites and Micro Pellets, both from Hikari. I was going to get 3-3.5" discus, however changed my mind thanks to the information from this forum. If everything goes right I should have my fish on Tuesday before noon. When should be my first feeding, Wednesday morning or evening? I know that fish should be very hungry and it will be the best time to get them to eat flake food. I want to teach them to eat most nutritious and least polluting food. What other food should I buy?

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    Homesteader jwcarlson's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    I wouldn't screw around adding anything but straight tap. No clue what Hans' water is like, but mine went straight into 8.3 pH and 18-20 degrees gH and kH. I think yours will be fine.

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    Registered Member solasis's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    You can view my forum thread here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...67#post1365667. My tap water is very hard too. I'm getting some golden state discus this week as well. I agree with what everyone said above, I would just use straight tap water. Makes it much safer as you will getting exact parameters every time. You can do much larger water changes more frequently with tap. What strains did you decide to get? Post some pictures once you get them, I'm excited to see. I will be getting my group on Thursday.

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Thank you for your help.
    I already have RO/DI unit, so making my tap water better/softer is not a problem. I never felt safe with using water strait from tap into any fish tank. I always keep my water for 24hrs with pump or air stone and heater.
    After reading this forum all day long, it seems like daily water changes are the most important for successful discus tank. I just can't get used to the recommended percentages. It feels to me that anything above 50% would be giving stress to the fish. Anyway, what do I know?

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    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    That's exactly why some of us have to age our water, Robert. It's the constant swing in pH (which you don't have anyway) which causes stress. When outgoing water is the same pH as the incoming water there is no stress. RO isn't "better" it's just more wasteful and more expensive.
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Hi Liz!
    I do agree that RO water is more wasteful and more expensive.
    So, I am getting my discus tomorrow around noon, when should be my first feeding?Wednesday morning or should I feed them tomorrow evening after few hours of acclimation. Since they are going to be very hungry I will feed them pellets. I have Vibra Bites and Micro Pellets, both from Hikari. Also I ordered #3 and #4 pellets form Fishguy's Place. What else should I get?
    Thank you for your help

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    Administrator jeep's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    The owner of this site sells some of the best discus foods around. Freeze dried blackworms great!

    https://aquaticsuppliers.com/

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    Registered Member cbudz's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    That sure is the truth ! they really love Al's blackworms, from finicky eaters, to begging at the front of the glass every time I enter the room !

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    Default Re: My tap water is not the best for discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Waterobert View Post
    Thank you for your help.
    I already have RO/DI unit, so making my tap water better/softer is not a problem. I never felt safe with using water strait from tap into any fish tank. I always keep my water for 24hrs with pump or air stone and heater.
    After reading this forum all day long, it seems like daily water changes are the most important for successful discus tank. I just can't get used to the recommended percentages. It feels to me that anything above 50% would be giving stress to the fish. Anyway, what do I know?
    I do age my water 24 hours because my pH swings from 7 to 8.2 or 8.3. And preheat it, of course. I do about a 90% change every night. Fish are laying on their sides all the way and have to "kick" to get around. They don't seem to mind as they're eating as soon as I toss in their post water change snack (usually Al's freeze-dried black worms linked above).

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