Reverse Osmosis Systems

[marinebio13]

Hi,

I am setting up a new 75-gallon tank for discus. For the past few months I have been keeping a few in a 36-gallon tank. The 36-gallon tank was not originally set up for them, so I've had some problems with it. While researching the problems I've had with keeping the discus healthy, I came across suggestions for Reverse Osmosis systems. I'm considering installing a small one (not a whole house) to use for the tank. I'm trying to make sure I set up the 75-gallon tank the right way to keep discus and the water chemistry is just as important as the setup. Is the RO system worth using and what brand/model would you recommend?

My water parameters in the tank:
Total hardness: about 300 ppm
Total Alkalinity: about 120 ppm
pH: 8

My water parameters from the tap:
Total hardness: about 300 ppm
Total Alkalinity: about 300 ppm
pH: 8

We use well water so there is no chlorine and we do not have any sort of water softeners or conditioners.

I've tried using a small filter bag filled with peat moss, but I have not noticed a drop in the pH at all. I also plan on using driftwood in the tank.


Thanks!!

[John_Nicholson]

You do not need a Ro unit. You do not need to worry about your ph. How much water are tyou changing and what temp are you keeping the tank?

-john

[DISCUS STU]

Hello and Welcome!

I use RO on a limited basis; breeding tank, hospital/quarantine tanks, growout tanks, but it's more intensive in every way than just using my tap water which is full of chemicals such as chloramine and other nasty stuff. Easier for my usual water changes to consist of tap water and a dechlor agent which usually gets the job done for the other tanks.

Even though your ph and hardness may be high at 8 compared to municipal water supplies, if you have good quality water from your well then you should be fine. Young growing Discus do well with hard water due to it's high mineral content and acclimate to it readily. The old addages used to be low ph, soft water, but that's fallen by the wayside. It's really about clean water. Higher ph (and mineral content) also help to keep the water stable in regard to ph crashes. Many people raise Discus in high ph, high mineral content water. Trying to maintain low ph is alot of extra work, needs constant monitoring, and again ph crashes can result and are dangerous and potentially harmful.

I use is a 3 stage, 50 gpd Coralife system that consists of two prefilters, micron sediment and carbon and then the primary RO filter. I think the cartridge is rated for 30,000 gallons. The outflow should be tested every so often for water hardness, chlorine, etc. often to make sure the system is still working at full capacity, or at all. If the prefilters aren't working then that will effect the filter causing it to fail prematurely.

The problem with peat is that you need a good deal of it, the water should look like brown tea, and you have to be careful to purchase it w/o other additives such as fertilizers.

If you're new to this then this forum is the right place to find good information and threads to help you. It really beats the old days when as a newbie I had to rely on info. from the guy at the lfs who often seemed to have the wrong info. or was maybe just making it up. It's alot easier today with the internet. Assuming you also get the right stuff on the web.

[marinebio13]

You do not need a Ro unit. You do not need to worry about your ph. How much water are tyou changing and what temp are you keeping the tank?

-john


I have the tank at 82 degrees F because I also have a black ghost knife fish in the tank.
I do a 25-50% water change once a week. All of my discus were doing pretty good for a few months, then some things came up and I wasn't able to do a water change for a couple of weeks. That is when one got sick, then next thing I knew I had lost 3 more. I have two now that have been doing pretty good. I treated the tank and got back to doing weekly water changes.

I've also found different opinions online about using activated carbon in filters. I am setting up the two filters in the new tank to use biological filtration. Is it better to use carbon too or leave it out?

[John_Nicholson]

No need for carbon. Don't get mad at me but your water change routine is what killed your fish. Also it was not the fact that you missed the WC for 2 weeks. Your fish were probably already sick but you did not know it. The shock of missing the 2 weeks is just what exposed the problem. Changing that little water especially in that small of a tank is just not the way to raise large healthy discus. The best that can be hoped for in the long run is that they do live but will end up stunted. Not try to be a jerk just letting you know what my experience is telling me.

-john

[marinebio13]

No need for carbon. Don't get mad at me but your water change routine is what killed your fish. Also it was not the fact that you missed the WC for 2 weeks. Your fish were probably already sick but you did not know it. The shock of missing the 2 weeks is just what exposed the problem. Changing that little water especially in that small of a tank is just not the way to raise large healthy discus. The best that can be hoped for in the long run is that they do live but will end up stunted. Not try to be a jerk just letting you know what my experience is telling me.

-john


No worries! That is why I came on here. I have no experience with this. I was keeping gourami's in the smaller tank and I have a 10-gallon brackish setup with puffers. I decided to switch over to a discus tank, especially when I knew I was starting from scratch with a new tank. The ones I get from the fish store are not fully grown, they are young. Researching online gave so many different opinions with pH and water chemistry. I was worried the pH is too high and the water too hard. I will definitely increase the amount and frequency of water changes.