Just an update, Looking for comments plz

[Discus18]

https://youtu.be/SjnlLOPBcp4

Just looking for overall help/comments on what you think or how I could do some things better perhaps. Just looking for opinions from professionals and other hobbyists alike.
Thanks guys!

[rickztahone]

Hello!

The RO is not needed at all. You can use your tap water. Do you know if you're pH is stable?

What size tank is that? Looks rather small

[Discus18]

Yes I'm getting a 75 gal in a coming week or two.
My tap water is above 8.4
And yes for the most part, might drop .1-.3 if I do a water change.
But goes up shortly. Should I not use just R/O?

[warblad79]

Just try tap for about a week or so and see if any effect to the fish. Just replace 50% a day or every other day to maintain stability.

[Discus18]

That won't hurt my fish doing that much water change with tap water?
Won't the ph fluctuate more?

[Arhm]

That won't hurt my fish doing that much water change with tap water?
Won't the ph fluctuate more?

I also have high ph around 8.2 and do about 50% water changes daily and 100% once a week, with only tap water and prime and my fish seem happy. so i dont think water changes can hurt them provided that you use anti chlorine and keep a stable ph

[donnacona]

I suggest do not use gravel but use pool sand looks better and keeps food and crap on top this keeps from dirtying the tank

[DISCUS STU]

I suggest do not use gravel but use pool sand looks better and keeps food and crap on top this keeps from dirtying the tank

+1, sand or pool sand is much better.

[rickztahone]

If your pH does fluctuate though, please make sure to age your water 24hrs.

[Discus18]

Okay thank you. I'm just worried since I'm using only ro that if I switch to tap water immediately that it's gonna go from 6.5 to 8.0.
I will def go sand or even bare bottom with a few decorations in my new tank.

[Akili]

Okay thank you. I'm just worried since I'm using only ro that if I switch to tap water immediately that it's gonna go from 6.5 to 8.0.
I will def go sand or even bare bottom with a few decorations in my new tank.Going from water of lower pH to higher pH is not stressful to fish but the reverse has adverse effects.

[Discus18]

Oh my gosh thank you! Good to hear! I thought it might have a reverse effect. I will do a water change today with ro but just add 2 or 3 gallons of dechlorinated tap to it as well. I'm going to take my ro filter back and just age my water! I was getting a 50 gallon barrel drum and a float to store ro water so this should be easier and cheaper in the long run. You all I feel have saved me much time. Ha so airstone and heater right? Then I'll need a pump with hosing to get it to my tank?

[Discus18]

My ppm on my tap water is 130ppm that sounds really good right? Considering with ro water changes my tank goes from 50-80 ish every other day or so after water changes.

[rickztahone]

My ppm on my tap water is 130ppm that sounds really good right? Considering with ro water changes my tank goes from 50-80 ish every other day or so after water changes.

130ppm TDS?

[DISCUS STU]

Going from water of lower pH to higher pH is not stressful to fish but the reverse has adverse effects.

Again +1! I've never hurt a Discus going from low ph to higher ph, in fact I've definitely improved the situation by doing this when I've had ph crashes.

[Discus18]

Awesome thanks for the input discus stu.
And rickz yes 130 ppm tds

[Discus18]

Does that ppm sound good?

[Filip]

Does that ppm sound good?


Yes its soft water , close and almost suitable for discus spawn to hatch .

[rickztahone]

Yes its soft water , close and almost suitable for discus spawn to hatch .

+1. No need to worry about the water here. Just as long as your pH can be made stable.

[Discus18]

I'm currently aging in a 50 gallon drum and heater and air pump inside I'll will update with stats on water later tonight

[Discus18]

Had too small of a heater and air stone so getting bigger today but ph didn't go down much at all. Is that bad?

[Filip]

Had too small of a heater and air stone so getting bigger today but ph didn't go down much at all. Is that bad?

That's great .If you don't measure any or very little PH swing during your 24 hour aging , it means that you can even change straight tap , if you handle the microbubbles with a good siphon prefilter.

[Discus18]

Really? That's great yea just checked values again and my temp is at 80 in aging barrel but ph is still around 8.0 and hardness around 100 ppm GH and around 170 ppm KH and tds meter reads 140 ppm. is this still okay?

[Akili]

Really? That's great yea just checked values again and my temp is at 80 in aging barrel but ph is still around 8.0 and hardness around 100 ppm GH and around 170 ppm KH and tds meter reads 140 ppm. is this still okay?I do not see why not,You are good to go in my opinion.

[Discus18]

Awesome thank you. Last question that's not too high of a ph? Or too high of a hardness?

[Filip]

Awesome thank you. Last question that's not too high of a ph? Or too high of a hardness?

PH is a bit on the higher range for discus but still doable .
GH -100 is great but KH 170 ppm is too high for spawn to hatch as I said in my previous message . Otherwise your KH is doable for keeping discus too.

[Discus18]

Thank you for answering my question filip! Much appreciated

[Filip]

Thank you for answering my question filip! Much appreciated

You are always welcomed Discus 18 :) .

[Mark N]

Just a thought. Your filter pickup is close to the substrate. If using sand it can get sucked up into the filter and cause problems in the filter. I like to raise it up a bit and use a prefilter sponge on the inlet. It stops sand from getting into the filter. I also clean it at every water change. The sponge can also be moved to cycle a hospital tank quickly.

[Discus18]

Thanks mark I recently switched to bare bottom and ditched the crappy sand it was DISGUSTING! Also added a pre filter sponge keeps my canister filter a bit cleaner as well.

[Willie]

Consider wrapping your storage barrel with insulation and put it on a couple of wood strips to take it off the floor. You'll be amazed how quickly you can warm up the water that way.

I'm starting to think that having adequate water storage is the real secret to keeping discus. I redid my fish room two summers ago so that every discus tank gets 100% W/C every day. Haven't looked back since...

Willie

[Discus18]

Do you have a thread for that willie? I'd love to see that! Or a video?