They may live, but they wont thrive. I have attemted it and the discus just didnt look very happy. Try an RO filter, think that would be your best bet.
Greetings everyone,
I want to set up a tank for discus. I tested my tap water and it is "very hard" and the pH was 8.5, alkalinity was also very high.
Will discus live in this water, or do I need to goof around with the water to have soft water and a pH near the ideal 6.8?
They may live, but they wont thrive. I have attemted it and the discus just didnt look very happy. Try an RO filter, think that would be your best bet.
I have raised many domestic discus in exactly the same conditions. They all grew to adults and spawned. I use RO only during spawning.
Wild caught discus will require soft water with lower ph.
My ph isn't that high but my TDS of tap water is 750, DH of 20. I mix with ro but probably wouldn't have to. I do it to keep the calcium deposits down on the hoods etc. Don T.
Update: Fish are living fine in 8.4 pH water and growing big.