Water analyst ??? Any water experts?

[MadMatt]

This is where our city water comes from. No wonders why my ph rebounds to 8.2 eventually regardless of the chemicals I put in it.
Does anyone know how to read this or what it means in relation to discus keeping and breeding?
87870

[LizStreithorst]

I don't know much about water but I know that surface water is way different from water that comes from a deep aquifer like my water. The only thing I know about surface water is that fry can hatch in a higher pH and TDS that in underground water. I don't know why. I also know that it is often treated with cloramines if it gets run off from dairy farms to prevent cryptrosporidium, which affects humans and warm blooded animals with compromised immune systems, but not fish. That's all I know. Sorry...

I met a water expert once upon a time in a sushi restaurant. I could tell that he really knew his stuff. He said that water chemistry was cool but there was no money in it. I guess that's why there aren't more of them around.

[MadMatt]

I don't know much about water but I know that surface water is way different from water that comes from a deep aquifer like my water. The only thing I know about surface water is that fry can hatch in a higher pH and TDS that in underground water. I don't know why. I also know that it is often treated with cloramines if it gets run off from dairy farms to prevent cryptrosporidium, which affects humans and warm blooded animals with compromised immune systems, but not fish. That's all I know. Sorry...

I met a water expert once upon a time in a sushi restaurant. I could tell that he really knew his stuff. He said that water chemistry was cool but there was no money in it. I guess that's why there aren't more of them around.

Looks like I need to TOFT and hire one to consult with.
Any suggestions?

[nc0gnet0]

Well if you read the fine print it says "sh@t happens when it rains in Detroit".

Why are you using a water quality report from the lake and not the municipality?

[Second Hand Pat]

The report also seems to be from 1994.
Pat

[MadMatt]

Well if you read the fine print it says "sh@t happens when it rains in Detroit".

Why are you using a water quality report from the lake and not the municipality?
The municipal has instructed me that the city water is exactly what comes out of the river with added chlorine, ozone and carbonate to have a ph of 7.2, however what comes out of my tap is 7.8-8.0 and when I age for 24 hrs its 8.2.

They also tell me nothing has changed with the lake/river water since this report.
In say this, does anyone know what this means for breeding Discus in?

[nc0gnet0]

It means buy yourself a TDS meter for $20.00. In the United States water municipalities are required by law to publish a yearly water report. This is all that is done in Canada, a 20 year old analysis of the source water?

Your list shows 6 different test areas, from which is your water drawn? The TDS ranges from 142 to 211 depending on which test location is used. The Sodium level at the St. Clair location looks to be really high in comparison to the others, which explains why it has the highest conductivity of the group.

[strawberryblonde]

Hi Matt,

I have NO idea what water reports mean - I try to muddle through mine when it arrives every year and never can make heads or tails of it.

But maybe you're over thinking everything? I did the same thing a few years ago - went all nuts about my water and tried to figure out what it all meant.

The only thing I figured out is that if I don't mess with it, and I do huge daily water changes, my discus stay healthy and breed nicely in it.

My pH varied from 7.8 - 8.2 depending on the time of year. My TDS is 100 - 110 fresh from the tap and in the tank has never gone above 140.

Other than that, I don't measure my water parameters anymore. Got tired of wasting time and chemicals on water that never fluctuates. LOL

My discus breed well in my water. Not HUGE batches, maybe 200 fry per batch, but don't live long because I don't want to breed my discus. They live in my main tank and the fry get eaten fairly quickly.

If I wanted to actually breed them, I'd plop them in a 40g and use some RO water to lower the pH a little bit - but keep up with daily water changes in order to get a larger number of fry to hatch. Other than that - same old same old routines.

I've had a few times in the winter when my fish reacted to a water change by shedding some slime coat, so I'm assuming that it's micro bubbles that do that to them, but it never seems to affect their health. They huddle a bit at the bottom of the tank for an hour, shed a little slime coat and then their right back to life as usual. I do stuff a big chunk of poret foam into the end of the siphon during water changes just to keep any possible micro bubbles to a minimum.

I'm hoping that by reducing your RO amounts and upping your water changes you'll get your discus to breed well - I know that you've been playing around with that and it sounds like the right idea.

[Allwin]

Things i consider while breeding are

1. TDS ( Pretty much includes calcium, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium and chloride content) - lower the tds greater the conductivity for better fertilization rate.
2. PH - I never bothered so far for domestics.
3. Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate - for water quality and important for fry health( been a while i measured last time, frequent WC is more than enough, but periodic checkpoint is ideal as city water changes during winter)

[MadMatt]

Hi Matt,

I have NO idea what water reports mean - I try to muddle through mine when it arrives every year and never can make heads or tails of it.

But maybe you're over thinking everything? I did the same thing a few years ago - went all nuts about my water and tried to figure out what it all meant.

The only thing I figured out is that if I don't mess with it, and I do huge daily water changes, my discus stay healthy and breed nicely in it.

My pH varied from 7.8 - 8.2 depending on the time of year. My TDS is 100 - 110 fresh from the tap and in the tank has never gone above 140.

Other than that, I don't measure my water parameters anymore. Got tired of wasting time and chemicals on water that never fluctuates. LOL

My discus breed well in my water. Not HUGE batches, maybe 200 fry per batch, but don't live long because I don't want to breed my discus. They live in my main tank and the fry get eaten fairly quickly.

If I wanted to actually breed them, I'd plop them in a 40g and use some RO water to lower the pH a little bit - but keep up with daily water changes in order to get a larger number of fry to hatch. Other than that - same old same old routines.

I've had a few times in the winter when my fish reacted to a water change by shedding some slime coat, so I'm assuming that it's micro bubbles that do that to them, but it never seems to affect their health. They huddle a bit at the bottom of the tank for an hour, shed a little slime coat and then their right back to life as usual. I do stuff a big chunk of poret foam into the end of the siphon during water changes just to keep any possible micro bubbles to a minimum.

I'm hoping that by reducing your RO amounts and upping your water changes you'll get your discus to breed well - I know that you've been playing around with that and it sounds like the right idea.
Currently I have a spawn that's at its final larvae stage, they are growing fast and pretty large for wigglers. I think they might swim free in 24-48 hrs.
This is the best I've gotten in a while. I've changed to only using aged tap water and about 20-50% RO with all my water changes, and pre heater for the wiggler tank.
Since I've been doing this they seem to be more healthy and happier discus. I think the chemicals are pretty not necessary. If I didn't see this for my own eyes I wouldn't believe it, but it works.... so all good.

[Altum Nut]

Hello Matt...a simple goggle search for Windsor 2014.
http://www.wuc.on.ca/information/water_reports.cfm

...Ralph

[MadMatt]

Thanks bud!
This is Toronto, I'm in Windsor, our water comes from the Detroit river.

[Altum Nut]

Sorry Matt...made the correction but this one is even more confusing then Toronto's report.
http://www.wuc.on.ca/information/water_reports.cfm

...Ralph

[MadMatt]

For some reason the city of Windsor seems to be perpetually runned by silly simple people and cerebral insufficients.