how about these parameters?

[fireman5214]

Just curious if my tap water is ok to hold discus, it is well water. I am not sure if collecting rainwater is acceptable or not?? But my current water supply is PH 6.8 and Hardnesses are: GH 5, KH 3 or 4 (i have the test kit where you put one drop in at a time. At KH 3 drops, its a pale color and 4 its a more bold looking color so not 100% what it is but 3-4 id say for sure. Thanks in advance.

[Jhhnn]

Should be fine. The one thing that needs to be done is to aerate a sample for 24 hrs, re-test the pH. Well water sometimes has an abundance of CO2, which lowers the PH. All that CO2 isn't good for the fish, andlethal pH shock can result when it's added directly to the tank.

Even if the pH rises substantially, that just means you'll need to age and aerate the water or run it through a de-gassing tower before using in in the aquarium... My water is harder than that, with a pH of 7.6 or higher, and my fish are breeding in it...

[fireman5214]

Should be fine. The one thing that needs to be done is to aerate a sample for 24 hrs, re-test the pH. Well water sometimes has an abundance of CO2, which lowers the PH. All that CO2 isn't good for the fish, andlethal pH shock can result when it's added directly to the tank.

Even if the pH rises substantially, that just means you'll need to age and aerate the water or run it through a de-gassing tower before using in in the aquarium... My water is harder than that, with a pH of 7.6 or higher, and my fish are breeding in it...

really? PH 7.6, i read multiple places they liked 6.5 and lower PH before they would breed. Now im confused lol.:confused:

[Chad Hughes]

Most citations climing that discus mus tbe in extremely soft, acidic water are basically just quoting what the water parameters are in the wild.

Are your discus wild?

When breeding discus, it's not so much the Ph of the water that becomes a limiting factor. It's the TDS.

Are you breeding?

If you have a community tank with domestic discus, your tap water should be fine. As stated above, degass the water to see if your Ph shifts. That is very important.

Hope that helps!

[fireman5214]

well i dont own discus yet, im looknig for a tnak or them first, then i want to breed them in a low planted tank with some substrate on the bottom i hate the plain look. I dont want the wild caught either, im not a fan of taking them out of their natural habitat. (im not afraid to express my TRUE opinions and some may get mad for me to say that but its how i feel). I like going green as much as I can and disrupting a natural habitat just doesnt go with the green initiative. I want farm raised green or blue colors ratehr then the snakeskin looks. Im not a fan of yellows either and orage red dont appeal to me and im not a fan of albino anything. I am not sure what TDS means as well.

[Chad Hughes]

Well, sounds like you know what you want. Breeding will be difficult in planted tank. I'm not saying thta it cn't be done, but your success will likely be very limited.

TDS is an acronym for total dissolved solids. The TDS of the water is what I pay most ttention to when it comes to breeding. I like to give breeders a TDS of around 50 to 100 ppm.

Hope that helps!

[fireman5214]

yeah i just want like 6 plants along the back wall to help oxygenate the water and "filter" the water a little more but the info does help, thanks. Also how do i/where do i get a test kit for the total dissolved solids?

[akumastew]

yeah i just want like 6 plants along the back wall to help oxygenate the water and "filter" the water a little more but the info does help, thanks. Also how do i/where do i get a test kit for the total dissolved solids?

TDS meters are as sheap as $15 on ebay.

If you want a kit, get a kit that measures GH/KH. ~$10 online.

If you do not have a test kit, you can get a master test kit that will cover

pH
Ammonia
Nitrite
nitrate
GH
KH

For ~$20.

[Dutch dude]

Hi there,

Just for you to know and to confirm Jhhnn his experience,....I keep domesticated discus in PH=8, GH=9, KH=3-4 and also breed them in those conditions (I'm new to breeding dough).

Abouth your plan to breed discus in a planted tank with substrate,......belive me,...breeding discus is hard enough and a planted tank makes it much much more dificult and a small chance on breeding them successfully. Best way is to go bb with a sponge filter.