PH problem

[DCH]

I am a beginner who has not yet bought his Discus. I'm trying to get the tank water perfect for them to avoid disasters when they arrive. I am not able to used aged water, it must come straight from the tap. The PH straight out of my tap is 6.8 which is what the breeder I have chosen ships his Discus at. I was able to keep my tank at 6.8 for about 3 months. Now when I check PH it's 7.2 using API PH test kit (3 drops in tube). I got some aquacheck test strips before I purchased my test kits and I still get 6.8 with them, from the tap and the tank. With the API drops I get 7.2 from tap and tank. What should I believe? Do the drops or test strips go bad?

[pcsb23]

I am a beginner who has not yet bought his Discus. I'm trying to get the tank water perfect for them to avoid disasters when they arrive. I am not able to used aged water, it must come straight from the tap. The PH straight out of my tap is 6.8 which is what the breeder I have chosen ships his Discus at. I was able to keep my tank at 6.8 for about 3 months. Now when I check PH it's 7.2 using API PH test kit (3 drops in tube). I got some aquacheck test strips before I purchased my test kits and I still get 6.8 with them, from the tap and the tank. With the API drops I get 7.2 from tap and tank. What should I believe? Do the drops or test strips go bad?In truth both could be wrong. BUT your ph is close enough to the breeders as not to be worth worrying over. It is far better to have clean stable water than to worry over much at this time about ph. Once the bio-filter kicks in the ph is likely to drop a tad anyway. Stability is more important than so called perfect water.

[DCH]

Thanks, but I think the filter should be working by now. The tank has been up and running for 4 months. It is a 55 gal with a Penguin Bio wheel 330. I have ceramic discs in the bio baskets and have had ten Neon Tetras in the tank. Maybe I worry too much. I just don't want to get the Discus and have something to go wrong.

[pcsb23]

Ten neons will only produce a tiny amount of ammonia, it would hardly register in a 55 gal tank. When you add the discus there will be an ammonia spike.

It is much better imo to do a full fishless cycle using pure ammonia.

btw welcome to Simply :)

[DCH]

Do you think it would help to add a few fish for a while?

[judy]

What I did was stock my tank up slowly as a community tank over a period of a year or so, adding a few fish at a time and making sure all were and remained healthy. Meanwhile, I chose the seller form whom I would by my discus, and when the fish I wanted arrived, had them held until I was able to re-home my community tank fish all at once, then cleaned the tank thoroughly without disruptuig the biofilter, picked up the discus, brought them home,and tucked them into their nice, cycled, full of plenty of biofilter tank.
One fish's poop is no different than another's as far as bacteria are concerned...

[DCH]

Thanks for the input. I think I would rather try that as opposed to starting over.
Dennis

[GrillMaster]

Hi Dennis!! Welcome to "SD".

I wouldn't concern yourself to much with the PH...Its close enough as Paul pointed out.

One option for you is when you decide to get Discus, make sure it is from a reputable breeder. They always have seeded filter material handy and will probably send ya some with the Discus. Not always, but sometimes. If you are fortunate enough live close to one, thats even better. Then you can take the fish an the seeded filter media with ya an have a cycled tank when ya get home! :)

tc
Mark

[DCH]

Thanks Mark, I do live close (45 min.) from the breeder I have chosen. I'll try and twist his arm for some seeded filter media.

[GrillMaster]

You probably wont have to twist to hard! :)

tc
Mark

[White Worm]

Just bring a new sponge with you and the breeder should have a sponge that he could swap you that is ready to go.....preferably from the tank you get your fish from if possible.