Almost set to go.

[mattrox]

I just did some water testing last night. Unfortunately, the test kit arrived (mail order) without the colour charts. I e-mailed the supplier and I hope to get them soon..... BUT....

I do know that the ammomnia reading was zero and the nitrIte reading was zero too. (I can see the pic of the colour charts on the box).

The pH in the tank was about 7.2 (best guess) and my tap water is about 6.8 or so. It is slightly more acidic than the tank water for sure. I hope those colour charts arrive soon so I can get more accurate readings. BUT interestingly, to get the tap water the same pH as the tank water I can turn on the tap full and the aggitation that causes is enough. (Instant aging?)

My GH is 3 deg. (54 ppm) and KH is 1 deg. 18 (ppm) good thing it is just counting drops for those.

The tank is about 126 L or 85 gal. I have 18 small cardinals, 5 rummy nose and 5 cory cats. I am thinking at this stage of getting about 10 - 12 small discus. Should I transfer these fish to another tank before adding the discus.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Hi Mattrox,
Instant ageing? Never heard of it. Place your water in a storage tank. Test for Ph. Add an airstone and heater. Test again 1 hr later to see if Ph has changed. Keep testing regularly. Once no change in Ph is noticed and temp equal your tank, then your water is aged.

dan

[mattrox]

My tap water is the same temperature as the tank water. ;D And the pH stabilizes with just the aggitation of it being vigourously being added to a storage container. ;) If it is slowly added to the storgae container it is slightly more acidic.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Hi Mattrox,
You said that your Ph coming out of the tap is 6.8 and your tank is 7.2. There's definitely a difference. Your Co2 is not completely dissapated when going into your tank. Aged water means that your storage is within the same parameters as your tank. JMO

Oh yeah, no need to move your other fish before adding your discus. It's better that the tetras are stablised before adding your discus taht way they don't think they're food.

dan

[mattrox]

I agree. What I am saying, though, is that if the water is just flowing out of the tap the pH is 6.8. But if I have it vigourously gushing out the tap into the storage container the pH is then 7.2 by the time the container is full. I did test this to see if it was the same as the tank before adding.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

My Bad. Have you added your discus to your tank. Sometimes adult discus see cardinals a food if they're too small. Specially wild discus. Good luck. show us pics.

dan

[mattrox]

I am getting 10-12 small discus. I will surely post some pics when I get them. The cardinals are quite small, I am hoping they do a bit of growing before I get the discus. I just have to save up and buy the Discus now!