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ganesan
07-28-2013, 08:54 AM
I have read that discus do well at acidic pH at around 5.5 to 6.0 though they are used to living in pH of even 7.0 these days.My question is that in my discus tank the pH is about 6.8 and I try to reduce it by boiling ketapang leaves daily which are easily available in my neighbourhood in my morning walks.After boiling these leaves I pour the cooled brown tannin juice into the tank and have been doing it daily for the last couple of days.But the pH has not fallen one bit.What could be the reason? Is it true that ketapang leaves increase the immune of discus and prevent disease outbreaks.I take care to collect only yellowish,orange colored leaves that fall early in the morning and after soaking them in Pot.permanganate solution for about half an hour I wash them in cool clean water so as to kill any parasites/germs that may be on these leaves, before boiling them and cooling them in a cooker.
I have also pH minus solution containing some Phosporic acid,from neon aquarium product and pH minus regulator which is a brownish powder from big fish aquarium product.Right now I am only using the ketapang leaf extract and pH minus brownish powder occasionally.I have read it is important not to mix acid and alkali products.Please will some one advice the best thing to do.My tank size is 5 feet long x 2 feet height x 18 inch width.I have one Crista flow 1501 canister from JBL and about 6 jumbo bio sponge filters well seeded so the nitrate content is either zero or minus 5 ppm.

fredyx
07-28-2013, 09:18 AM
you must have a high kh that prevents the ph from falling... try measuring the kh, the higher it is more difficult will be to change ph values.-

lipadj46
07-28-2013, 10:59 AM
Domestic discus don't care about ph

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Crunchy
07-28-2013, 02:03 PM
Well it'll be interesting to know if the leaves (almond or otherwise) have any benefits for discus?

DerekFF
07-28-2013, 05:09 PM
They don't have any major benefits. You'll burn yourself out of the hobby doing this. 6.8 is perfect.


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100fuegos
07-29-2013, 01:12 PM
Do not mess with pH. A estable ph is all they need.

Pardal
07-29-2013, 01:36 PM
I have read that discus do well at acidic pH at around 5.5 to 6.0 though they are used to living in pH of even 7.0 these days.My question is that in my discus tank the pH is about 6.8 and I try to reduce it by boiling ketapang leaves daily which are easily available in my neighbourhood in my morning walks.After boiling these leaves I pour the cooled brown tannin juice into the tank and have been doing it daily for the last couple of days.But the pH has not fallen one bit.What could be the reason? Is it true that ketapang leaves increase the immune of discus and prevent disease outbreaks.I take care to collect only yellowish,orange colored leaves that fall early in the morning and after soaking them in Pot.permanganate solution for about half an hour I wash them in cool clean water so as to kill any parasites/germs that may be on these leaves, before boiling them and cooling them in a cooker.
I have also pH minus solution containing some Phosporic acid,from neon aquarium product and pH minus regulator which is a brownish powder from big fish aquarium product.Right now I am only using the ketapang leaf extract and pH minus brownish powder occasionally.I have read it is important not to mix acid and alkali products.Please will some one advice the best thing to do.My tank size is 5 feet long x 2 feet height x 18 inch width.I have one Crista flow 1501 canister from JBL and about 6 jumbo bio sponge filters well seeded so the nitrate content is either zero or minus 5 ppm.
Ganesan
Ketapang also known as almond leaves are more recomended for Bettas, although they do have some benefits for discus in this case juveniles.
If you are going to boil the leaves or use any tea like procedure you don't need to use PP as the high temperature will kill any pathogenes. then you make see that work a little bit in your ph.
As others indicates is your KH who act as a buffer for your ph.
Again dicus just need estable conditions don't need to mess with the ph as you will stress your fish.
Only time you will be concern with your ph, and water harness both General and KH is for breeding and for that I will suggest you get a Reverse Osmosis unit.
And do your homework with the water so you understand the particulars for water and the effect on fish health and behavior
Sincerely
Julian.

Baygon
07-29-2013, 01:41 PM
Ganesan
Ketapang also known as almond leaves are more recomended for Bettas, although they do have some benefits for discus in this case juveniles.
If you are going to boil the leaves or use any tea like procedure you don't need to use PP as the high temperature will kill any pathogenes. then you make see that work a little bit in your ph.
As others indicates is your KH who act as a buffer for your ph.
Again dicus just need estable conditions don't need to mess with the ph as you will stress your fish.
Only time you will be concern with your ph, and water harness both General and KH is for breeding and for that I will suggest you get a Reverse Osmosis unit.
And do your homework with the water so you understand the particulars for water and the effect on fish health and behavior
Sincerely
Julian.

+1 more than agreed.

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fredyx
07-29-2013, 01:58 PM
Ganesan
Ketapang also known as almond leaves are more recomended for Bettas, although they do have some benefits for discus in this case juveniles.
If you are going to boil the leaves or use any tea like procedure you don't need to use PP as the high temperature will kill any pathogenes. then you make see that work a little bit in your ph.
As others indicates is your KH who act as a buffer for your ph.
Again dicus just need estable conditions don't need to mess with the ph as you will stress your fish.
Only time you will be concern with your ph, and water harness both General and KH is for breeding and for that I will suggest you get a Reverse Osmosis unit.
And do your homework with the water so you understand the particulars for water and the effect on fish health and behavior
Sincerely
Julian.
+1

Len
07-29-2013, 04:07 PM
If you want to use the leaves, you could just drop them in the tank. Boiling them is time consuming and will grow old quickly. Also unless you want the blackwater look in your tank, 6.8 is pretty good for pH and you may want to just leave well enough alone.