Diy rock for Discus?

[quangfee]

Hi, my rock is cured and I've been testing the rocks with guppies for almost a week. The guppies are still fine. The problem is it raises ph to 8.0. My tap water ph is 7.4. Discus tank ph is 7.8 (I have crushed coral in the canister). Nitrite and ammonia reading are 0
Has anyone used diy rock for Discus?
Does anyone know diy rock's ph is as good as crushed coral ph?


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[Second Hand Pat]

This is a new one for me, Quangfee. Most people use sand and wood for discus. Cured rock for marine tanks is normal but I personally have not heard of this for fresh water tanks. I see no reason to have crush coral in your canister filter as your tap Ph is more than fine for discus.

Another concern at least for me is discus is a large fish and known for being spooky from time to time. I can see discus hurting themselves big time on the rock. Good luck with this.
Pat

[DiscusLoverJeff]

I agree with Pat.

Although a nice look, but what a job it will be to clean the debree under the rock.

[quangfee]

This is a new one for me, Quangfee. Most people use sand and wood for discus. Cured rock for marine tanks is normal but I personally have not heard of this for fresh water tanks. I see no reason to have crush coral in your canister filter as your tap Ph is more than fine for discus.

Another concern at least for me is discus is a large fish and known for being spooky from time to time. I can see discus hurting themselves big time on the rock. Good luck with this.
Pat
Thank you for reminding me about discus hurting themselves. I'm not going to use it. :)
You're right, many people use these kind of rock for saltwater, but some people still use them for freshwater also, especially, african cichlid.

[Second Hand Pat]

Yes, forget about african cichlids, they would love your rock fortress :) but glad to hear you are not using it for your discus. Where does that leave you with your cycle? Maybe sanitize the tank and try a fish-less cycle! :) or a cycled sponge from whomever you get your discus from?

[Bud Smith]

I agree with Pat.

Although a nice look, but what a job it will be to clean the debree under the rock.

Yes - I used petrified wood in one of my previous discus tanks and all the feces and food always ended up under the rocks
Extra work to keep clean - I gave the rock away

[Poco]

OP thank you for listening to Pat and making the right decision. I wouldn't have used them either. The only decoration your discus needs is lots and lots of fresh water (aged if possible).

[quangfee]

Thank you everyone, I won't use them in my Discus tank but I'll try to use them in my community tank.

[nickfish39]

I think its a great idea for your community, But an even better idea listening to Pat's wisdom!
I have used hand-made rock in many if my saltwater and African set-up's if you use the lime concrete blend like I did it will buffer the water and raise the pH. Do you mind if I ask why you are trying to raise your hardness and pH? It seems like a 7.4 is a great spot for a community tank.

[quangfee]

I think its a great idea for your community, But an even better idea listening to Pat's wisdom!
I have used hand-made rock in many if my saltwater and African set-up's if you use the lime concrete blend like I did it will buffer the water and raise the pH. Do you mind if I ask why you are trying to raise your hardness and pH? It seems like a 7.4 is a great spot for a community tank.
Thank you,
I don't want to raise my ph. The seller told me to use crushed coral to keep the ph stable. I don't know if it's a good idea. What do you think? Plus, when I set up a hospital tank, I just take out some crushed coral and a sponge from the canister that I'm using and I put them in the HOB filter for bacteria. Then I'll just throw them away after I'm finished using the hospital tank.

[Second Hand Pat]

Quangfee, the seller of the rock suggested the crushed coral? The only reason one would need crushed coral in a discus tank is when the ph and kh is low. The crushed coral is used to raise the kh to prevent the ph from crashing and causing harm to the fish.

Do you have low kh? At this point I would suggest doing some research to get a basic understanding of water parameters and their effect on each other. I would also suggest measuring your water so you are in the best position in making decisions for your fish. :)

[quangfee]

Will it harm my fish if I take all the crushed coral out now. I'm afraid the ph will bounce
I'm doing the research about my water parameters, thank you for your advice

[nickfish39]

Will it harm my fish if I take all the crushed coral out now. I'm afraid the ph will bounce
I'm doing the research about my water parameters, thank you for your advice

Like Pat said, find out what your levels are. And read, read,read! In my experience, I have never had a pH crash in an established tank even with my TDS at 3. I personally would pull the crushed coral. What is your water changing schedule?


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