Acclimating to new water conditions

[calihawker]

I have 11 discus in a 60 gallon grow out tank and I want to get them acclimated to the display tank parameters.

Grow out tank: PH 7.2, KH and GH less than 1, temp 87 degrees. 75% water changes daily.

Planted display: PH 6.15 (co2 injected) KH 3, GH 5, Temp 84 degrees. EI dosing 50% water change weekly.

The g/o tank was originally setup to run as a down-flow refugium for the display when it was a reef, so now I can run a pump from the display and over-flow from the g/o back to the display at a rate of say 300 gph and I would effectively have a 300 gallon planted filtration system for the g/o tank eliminating the need for the very tedious, 75% water changes every day. just siphon the crap off the bottom every couple days or so.

So the question is, if I start a drip/slow flow from the display, how long should it take to reach display parameters? I'm thinking 2 gallons an hour should take quite a while.

The fish are healhty and eating like pigs.I want to keep them in the g/o tank for at least another month or 2 before moving them over.

Steve

[CraigG]

Wouldn't it take 30 hours? Or does it not work that way?

[Graham]

Over several days gradually drop the QT tanks pH to come close to the display tank and then move the fish...the temp difference is nothing as is the GH and KH.

The KH BTW is too low and the potential to crash the pH is big, especially with injecting CO2

G

[calihawker]

Thanks,
Yeah, I thought a minimum of 24 hr's to a couple days would be good.

Graham.
The objective right now isn't to move the fish over, but to use the massive filtration capabilities of the display to filter the grow out tank. Like I said around 300 gph flowing in and out of the g/o tank. I don't think it's necessary to quarrantine them any more, but I do want to monitor their feeding and growth for a couple more months before moving them.

I've been running the tank with KH less than 1 for over a year with no ill effects. Just the last month or so I've been adding potassium bicarb in addition to GH booster to raise KH. My target KH is 4-5 and GH 6-7. I'm starting with tap water that has virtually no hardness.

Steve

[Graham]

Why are you using potassium bicarbonate to buffer the KH.........? wouldn't simple old baking soda/sodium bicarbonate work as well

[calihawker]

Simply because I have a ton of it. I've read the debate for years, maybe not a debate anymore since pretty much everyone agrees sodium isn't an issue. It's just that my water is so nutrient poor, including potassium, that why not add stuff I need anyway? Like I said, I have enough to last decades;)

Steve

[Esquire]

nm