New Build: 230 Gallons Discus tank

[yusufm52]

Well as of now they are not getting spooked or anything like that, since the three were added. There eating well.
And yesterday notice another issue with water Ph. As I mentioned I put a water aging setup, and it was running for I guess 11hrs and before I did my usual WC I did another PH test and the results were tank ph7.4 and aged water ph 8.0, any ideas what is going on here?

Yusufm52
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[yusufm52]

Well as of now they are not getting spooked or anything like that, since the three were added. There eating well.
And yesterday notice another issue with water Ph. As I mentioned I put a water aging setup, and it was running for I guess 11hrs and before I did my usual WC I did another PH test and the results were tank ph7.4 and aged water ph 8.0, any ideas what is going on here?

Ps. Tank NO2 is 0, and its NO2, that's what's on the test kit.

Yusufm52
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[ktm4us6]

Do you have a NO3 test kit to check nitrate levels? Over feeding will lower the ph of your water. If there not eating much, just give them very little each feeding, and vacuum the bottom shortly after. I vacuum the bottom after every feeding, and just doing that I change about 30% of the water everyday if not more. Keep the bottom clean, and wipe down everything in the tank 1 or 2 times a week. hope this helps.

[yusufm52]

Do you have a NO3 test kit to check nitrate levels? Over feeding will lower the ph of your water. If there not eating much, just give them very little each feeding, and vacuum the bottom shortly after. I vacuum the bottom after every feeding, and just doing that I change about 30% of the water everyday if not more. Keep the bottom clean, and wipe down everything in the tank 1 or 2 times a week. hope this helps.

No I don't have a NO3 test kit. And as I mentioned before there are finishing everything that's in the tank, just 10%-15% is left over which I can't clean up after evry feed is because of work.
And I did check today my aged water's Ph its at 8.0, and my tank and tap water is at 7.4 (which is the lowest which my test can show). So today I did a 50% WC using direct tap water, as I couldn't just do a 20% WC as I did yesterday. Will just wait and see if my Ph rises or not tomorrow.if it does I'll start using the aged water and continue with that, any tips on how should I go about this Ph swings.

Yusufm52
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[ktm4us6]

Yusufm52 did you establish your filter before getting Discus? in the previous post's it sounds like you just jumped the gun and got them without even being ready? Sounds like your system isn't stable because your tank isn't established. The only way to help things now if that's the case is big water changes morning and night. I would forget about aging your water for now and just keep up on water changes. Check for ammonia and nitrites everyday, also check ph to see if its getting more stable.

[yusufm52]

Yusufm52 did you establish your filter before getting Discus? in the previous post's it sounds like you just jumped the gun and got them without even being ready? Sounds like your system isn't stable because your tank isn't established. The only way to help things now if that's the case is big water changes morning and night. I would forget about aging your water for now and just keep up on water changes. Check for ammonia and nitrites everyday, also check ph to see if its getting more stable.

Yeah I did jump the gun, but its been 3weeks since I started the tank, and I keep checking the NO2 levels they are I there 0 or just at .25ppm, and I was doing large WC just didn't do it for two three days that to alternatly. In the morning they all seem nice going up and down the tank, scouting the bottom of the rank for food. Which I guess is a good sign? What do you say?

Yusufm52
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[ktm4us6]

Keep doing water changes , morning and night, keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Ph is also important, but with you tank not being cycled (maybe) that's your least worries. Just to let you know, with a tank that is in the process of establishing itself, when you do water changes, clean the filter it takes longer for the cycle to complete. In order to save your fish you need to do water changes morning and night. Your bacteria cycle will take twice as long as normal, due to the water changes.

[ktm4us6]

Just the other day I had a friend wanting some of my Pinoy blue angels. I asked before I sold, if the tank was established. They said we will wait a couple of days then. lol. IIIIIIIIIII will not sell fish to anyone without making sure there tank is established first.

[yusufm52]

Well ill change the mech filter more often, still waiting for my ammonia and NO3 test kit, and will check those parameters but, in the mean time how do suggest I deal with the Ph fluctuations? Which will be a concern once the tank has cycled and I forgot to mention I had some seeded media which I put in to the tank filter.

Yusufm52
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[yusufm52]

Here are some pictures that I took today.
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Yusufm52
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[wavesurfer]

only problem is i can't seem to confirm whether my fish are eating properly or not, reason being is that, i can't get to clean the tank after every feeding because of work

I'm wondering if you can re-schedule your feeding timings so that you will be able to clean the tank AFTER you feed them then, since this appears to be your concern.

For my case, I feed my discus first thing when I return home from a day's work and perform WC after I have my dinner. After which, I feed them again but I'm not so concerned about leftovers since there's ample bottom feeders and scavengers eager to finish them up.

[yusufm52]

Actually can't reschedule it right now coz I jus come back home just for lunch for any hr and then go back for work, and then come back directly for dinner, my mom gives them one feeding in the evening before I come home for dinner, so I practically not at home the whole day execpt for weekends, so that's y I do the WC at night..

[yusufm52]

Here is a video of the tank which i took today. Check it out and tell me what you guys think?

and after watching this please do tell me if i am over thinking this or going over board..
do tell me if you want to see something else about the tank.

[yusufm52]

Update:
All the fishes are eating and are not skittish any more, do sometimes run to the corner occasionally but but not as frequently as before the leftover food is also reduced, I am still putting the same amount of food in the tank as I used as before.
Am still feeding hikari's bio gold beef heart mix. I tried feeding them tetra bits but they won't eat it just stays there. So am back to hikari, any suggestions how I can get them to eat tetra bits or any other food? And has anyone tried out the Tropical brands garlic food for discus?

Yusufm52
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[brianyam]

You might want to try and epsom salt/Metro/kanaplex combo. A few of my discus were not eating, looking downwards. Took those two out and treated them with epsom salt, API General Cure and Kanaplex for two days...and they are eating like crazy now and aggressive again. Since you don't really know and time is of the essense, it is good I think to treat for both bacteria and parasitic. Furan 2 is also good.

Also, frankly, if you have good filteration - you dont need to change water every day. Twice a week is good man. Make sure the new water is at a similar temp or the cold water shocks them every time and stresses them out. It depends what you feed. If your feeding raw foods like beef heart, then I would do WC every day. But if your feeding flakes/pellets, I think 1-2 WC a week is fine.

Try making a seafood mix. I'd avoid giving them blood worms as that is like crack. Once they get hooked on it, hard to get them off it. Too expensive and seafood mix/dry food have allot more nutrition.