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View Full Version : Extreme hard water for discus??


TexasDiscus!!
03-19-2013, 12:05 AM
Ok... My RO unit crapped out and I hate lugging water back and forth. I already have to do that now for my 100gallon reef tank. I just can't do it for the discus anymore. 50 gallon water changes on a 210 gallon tank gets old.

So I have just started using tap water. It comes out of the faucet at about 8.3ph. I use prime in the water while doing the water changes also.

Any words of advise or knowledge that can be shared? Is this gonna kill my fish.?
Jeff O
03-19-2013, 12:19 AM
When did you stop using RO? 8.3 is perfectly fine as long as its consistent. I don't age my water I use straight tap (for non breeders) comes out 8.5 after 24 hours its 8.5-8.6 so it stays the same. They may not like it at first because they are used to the ro but they will get used to it. Introduce it slowly dont shock them.
-Jeff
Trier20
03-19-2013, 01:30 AM
When did you stop using RO? 8.3 is perfectly fine as long as its consistent. I don't age my water I use straight tap (for non breeders) comes out 8.5 after 24 hours its 8.5-8.6 so it stays the same. They may not like it at first because they are used to the ro but they will get used to it. Introduce it slowly dont shock them.
-Jeff

+1 my ph is higher then that. As jeff said they will do fine as long as its stable.
vss
03-19-2013, 02:49 AM
it's OK...I have a 8.3 ph too and a TDS of 1100+...Solid hard water but my fish still do fine once they are acclimated.

Xiaofei :)
TexasDiscus!!
03-19-2013, 10:30 PM
That's great to hear. Just gonna do that from now on. No need for RO, not really interested in breeding.

Any concern with calcium or hard water build up on the tank walls? U guys do anything to help with that of have any useful tips?
vss
03-19-2013, 10:40 PM
I use razor blade with handle to cut the calcium layer off weekly. Otherwise I won't be able to see the fish through the tank wall lol...

Xiaofei:)
strawberryblonde
03-20-2013, 01:06 AM
I use razor blade with handle to cut the calcium layer off weekly. Otherwise I won't be able to see the fish through the tank wall lol...

Xiaofei:)

LOL

I grab my trusty scrubbing brush and go at it like crazy for 10 minutes on each section. You do NOT wanna see the white crust around the top edges of my tank. I'd clean them off, but I'm just too lazy to bother with a section of my tank that the fish are never exposed to. Oh and yep, my pH and TDS are off the charts. Doesn't bother my discus one bit.