AndyIQ
12-09-2016, 04:50 AM
Hi All,
Brand new to simply discus and Discus keeping. That being said I used to own a coral propagation business, retail Reef shop and service business, so very familiar with parameters, equipment and general aquarium care and maintenance. I (using poor judgment, lots of cash, and impulsivity) bought 7 beautiful Discus last time I was in LA. It's was honestly an impulse buy, as I did not even have an aquarium running at the time. I had lots of clean equipment ready to go, so as soon as I got home I set up a 50g aquarium. I know cycling a tank with discus is not only irresponsible but morally questionable. I want you to know I am now 6 weeks in, with zero loss, and seven happy healthy and hungry discus. I tested water morning and again in the evening, constantly kept 300g water aging and changed a minimum 50% of the water daily. Turns out I am super addicted and love the discus, so I got them a bigger home 100g (60x16x24). It's only temporary and a bigger aquarium will soon be built but for the next 6 months this will be home. The system is a 100g aquarium with a 30g sump with micron bag, replaced weekly with new bag (discarded not cleaned). Aqua UV 57 watt sterilizer in line on the return and duel 300 watt ebo Jager heaters set at 86. The sump is plumbed to a drain and every day about 50g of tap water run through large carbon filters and trickles into he aquarium. I am happy with the setup the question I have is in regards to using CO2 to regulate and stabilize pH. My first thought was to use R.O water but heard Discus need the minerals (hence the tap). Problem is that the tap varies from 7.9 to 8.2 in pH. So I was thinking of just adding a CO2 bottle with a pH controller to constantly maintain a stable lower pH. Thoughts?
Brand new to simply discus and Discus keeping. That being said I used to own a coral propagation business, retail Reef shop and service business, so very familiar with parameters, equipment and general aquarium care and maintenance. I (using poor judgment, lots of cash, and impulsivity) bought 7 beautiful Discus last time I was in LA. It's was honestly an impulse buy, as I did not even have an aquarium running at the time. I had lots of clean equipment ready to go, so as soon as I got home I set up a 50g aquarium. I know cycling a tank with discus is not only irresponsible but morally questionable. I want you to know I am now 6 weeks in, with zero loss, and seven happy healthy and hungry discus. I tested water morning and again in the evening, constantly kept 300g water aging and changed a minimum 50% of the water daily. Turns out I am super addicted and love the discus, so I got them a bigger home 100g (60x16x24). It's only temporary and a bigger aquarium will soon be built but for the next 6 months this will be home. The system is a 100g aquarium with a 30g sump with micron bag, replaced weekly with new bag (discarded not cleaned). Aqua UV 57 watt sterilizer in line on the return and duel 300 watt ebo Jager heaters set at 86. The sump is plumbed to a drain and every day about 50g of tap water run through large carbon filters and trickles into he aquarium. I am happy with the setup the question I have is in regards to using CO2 to regulate and stabilize pH. My first thought was to use R.O water but heard Discus need the minerals (hence the tap). Problem is that the tap varies from 7.9 to 8.2 in pH. So I was thinking of just adding a CO2 bottle with a pH controller to constantly maintain a stable lower pH. Thoughts?