Hi Joseph, Bob;
Looks like we're the newest group out of AZ. Seems like there should be more ppl than listed here in AZ that are into discus. Let me know if you guys ever need discus, feel free to PM me anytime. Take care
Hi Everyone - Bob from Tucson
Hi Joseph, Bob;
Looks like we're the newest group out of AZ. Seems like there should be more ppl than listed here in AZ that are into discus. Let me know if you guys ever need discus, feel free to PM me anytime. Take care
Peter from Green Valley, AZ. Just arrived after almost 9 years in San Carlos, Guaymas and Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.
It's been a 10+ year hiatus from all things Discus, when I downsized the hobby and then packed up everything in Upstate New York and went South of the Border. Wonderful experience. Now we are in Green Valley making preparations to care for our aging parents.
I probably will do a few small tanks of Microgeophagus Ramirezi (Blue Rams) and use the waste to water my succulent garden.
Peter
Cuerpo en Green Valley, Arizona, USA y Corazón en Alamos, Sonora, Mexico
learning never stops
Cliff living in Tucson
Paul. Another from tucson area. Sahuarita to be exact
Andre from Brazil with my wild Discus to Sierra Vista AZ and now with domestic Discus!
Anyone from Carefree?
San Tan Valley Here :-)
Spirits of the Amazon
Proud Simply Discus Sponsors - Suppliers of DXcus Discus - www.spiritsoftheamazon.com
My turn: Tim, from the "real" Central Arizona (sorry, those of youi in the Valley of the Sun; geographic center of the state is actually here in the Verde Valley).
Have tried Discus twice, they never flourished, eventually died without growing much. I keep mostly S. Americans (Angels and Cichlosoma Amazonarum in my community tank; 5 species of Apistogramma in 20s and 30s.) I've made a couple attempts at smaller Tangs, especially shellies, and I now have a 30gal with 5 daffodils growing out.
Got re-inspired by Al Sabetta's talk at ACA in Springfield last month, decided I'm going to try to bring some back from my collecting cruise on the Amazon next month, give them another try using some of what I learned from Al.
PS if you go to next year's ACA in Cleveland, don't try to bring fish back with you on Southwest Airlines. Had to abandon 3 bags of various cichlids in the Providence airport! "We don't transport live fish!"
I'm in Phoenix and have been keeping discus since 2012. Other fish before that.
Love simply discus and AZ!
Good to see you made it here Luke, George up in N. Phoenix
George
Hello all - Lisa in NE Mesa here :-)
Hi I’m Joe in Lake Havasu City. I currently do not have a tank. I’ve kept discus years ago and was researching to see what is needed to keep discus in hard water.
Hi Joe and welcome to Simply Discus. A lot of old information used to claim discus needed soft water. Around here, at least, that is no longer the perspective. Many people, including myself, keep discus in hard, over 400 ppm, well water. I would say it's good to know what's in you water that makes it hard; I think calcium and magnesium are a couple common well water components, but you'd want to check for nitrates, sulfur, salt, etc. Getting it tested would be one idea. If there's nothing negative in your water, then just acclimating your discus to what you have may be all that's necessary. The other topic that often comes up along with hardness is pH. Again, old info said low pH was required, but the experience here is that stable pH is what you want. Hard water often has 8+ pH values and discus do fine. They just don't like large pH swings. It's a good idea to test you tap water's pH, and then aerate it for 24 hours and test it again. If the pH changes (help folks) more than I think .4, then people age their water in a barrel or something for 24 hrs with an air stone to get the pH to stabilize. Off-gasing of dissolved CO2 can cause the pH to change once it's out of the tap. A couple things to think about. If you have questions, folks here will try to help. Try to pick the most appropriate sub-forum area and post away. Good luck.
Steve