adding beneficial nutrients to Discus water ?

[Boyd Luth]

It has been a time since I have posted. I currently am running a 160 gallon, two seventy fives, and am about to set up a 125. All tanks are established for almost two years, plants, sand bottom, Led lighting, wet/drys, refugium. I change about 70% out once weekly, no problems in some time, even a few spawns ( first time ever :-) my question is this, what would be an inexpensive product to add, which would benefit my Discus in Health. I am currently adding " Discus Essentials " and Blackwater to every water change. In the past I have used peat moss, do not feel the necessity of it now. I do have driftwood established in all tanks. I use city tap water from the east coast utility company. I am working two jobs, and appreciate any suggestions, as time limits on the computer prevent me from searching all threads....thanks, Boyd.

[jmf3460]

i use rooibos tea in my water. I just add it in a tea strainer in my aging barrel and this helps. it has natural antibodies and helps heal minor scratches and scuffs. it also looks cool. I get it off amazon just do rooibos tea, its a very inexpensive product roughly one tablespoon per 25 gallons is what I do.

[pitdogg2]

if anything I soak some dry food in vitachem, I have never used the Kent product but if you feed a well rounded diet I fell there would be no need for either vitamin supplement IMHO.

[Boyd Luth]

Thank you Jacklyn, I will look into the tea, and the color ? I use the Purigan purification to help with water quality. What color tint do I expect ? [/I]
i use rooibos tea in my water. I just add it in a tea strainer in my aging barrel and this helps. it has natural antibodies and helps heal minor scratches and scuffs. it also looks cool. I get it off amazon just do rooibos tea, its a very inexpensive product roughly one tablespoon per 25 gallons is what I do.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hey Boyd, I use rooibos tea also but your Purigen may pull the tea out of the water. Why change up what you are doing if the fish are happy and healthy?
Pat

[Boyd Luth]

Hey Boyd, I use rooibos tea also but your Purigen may pull the tea out of the water. Why change up what you are doing if the fish are happy and healthy?
Pat
I had been thinking the same thing Pat :-) then it occurred to me, my choice of communicating my thoughts to post. It should be titled " trace minerals " to Discus water, as I read the ingredients on " Kents Discus Essentail " product, which is costing $$$ in water changes. It appears Calcium,Chromium, Cobalt, Ferric, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Potassium, and zince chloridas, in addition to several other minerals :-) Seems like I read at one time a post where we purchase from one of our Sponsors ( I love our Sponsors, and always mention that I belong to this forum ) a product less expensive, and beneficial to our water. In the beginning of my journry, I had RO/DI, added to that, now that I am putting a little more work/time, I am looking for ways to save $$$. Thanks Pat, " Big Boy " continues in a healthy, happy environment :-)

[jmf3460]

Thank you Jacklyn, I will look into the tea, and the color ? I use the Purigan purification to help with water quality. What color tint do I expect ? [/I]

Boyd, the rooibos will stain your water, its a light tea color. but its like a black water aquarium which is the effect I was going for, rooibos being actually beneficial to their health is just a bonus to the overall biotope appearance I was going for in the beginning. See my thread on this tank you can see the color I achieve from adding one tablespoon per 25 gal water change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdigZSttDdI

[Boyd Luth]

Looks very nice Jacklyn. I love the natural beauty of Discus in their environment. You have that duplicated nicely :-). Thank you.....

[rickztahone]

I would echo Pat's suggestion as well and not change anything if it isn't causing problems. If you are trying to replace a costly product, then I am not sure what that alternative product might be to be honest.

[Boyd Luth]

I would echo Pat's suggestion as well and not change anything if it isn't causing problems. If you are trying to replace a costly product, then I am not sure what that alternative product might be to be honest.

Thank you Ricardo, I have thought about this, especially after watching Als video, and " if it ain't broke, don't fix it " does apply, as Pat suggested :-) Thank you.....

[Willie]

Blackwater extract and other treatments are great to produce a natural ecotype look, like that beautiful Tefe tank. Having said that, discus will grow great in tap and even 100% R/O water without any additives. Due to some mishaps with piping in my neighborhood about 10 years ago, I had to switch every tank to pure R/O. With large water changes, it seems ridiculous to add expensive chemicals then dump it down the drain weekly.

The result is that all the discus grew to 6"+ and spawned just fine. I wouldn't want to criticize anyone looking to create an Amazon effect. But otherwise, adding R/O Right, etc. is unnecessary. I also went to the local university lab and purchased calcium, magnesium salts for the grow out tanks. They had no discernible effect on growth.

Like any fish, discus grow best when water conditions are stable. That is very difficult to achieve when you're making chemical adjustments with every water change.

[Boyd Luth]

Blackwater extract and other treatments are great to produce a natural ecotype look, like that beautiful Tefe tank. Having said that, discus will grow great in tap and even 100% R/O water without any additives. Due to some mishaps with piping in my neighborhood about 10 years ago, I had to switch every tank to pure R/O. With large water changes, it seems ridiculous to add expensive chemicals then dump it down the drain weekly.

The result is that all the discus grew to 6"+ and spawned just fine. I wouldn't want to criticize anyone looking to create an Amazon effect. But otherwise, adding R/O Right, etc. is unnecessary. I also went to the local university lab and purchased calcium, magnesium salts for the grow out tanks. They had no discernible effect on growth.

Like any fish, discus grow best when water conditions are stable. That is very difficult to achieve when you're making chemical adjustments with every water change.

After reading several other posts, I have agreed that our Discus can/will ( in most cases ) adjust suitably to there water conditions, as mentioned provided frequent water changes. My tanks are established with live plants, and I change Faithfully 70-90 % weekly. All Discus, Tetras, Cats doing well. I am slowly cutting back on chemical addition, thanks Willie :-)