Which parameters?

[Cjbear087]

I am wondering which parameters should match my tank. I am getting my stendker discus from Europa Diskus Center, and they say that their discus feel most comfortable with a pH of 6.5-7.5, they keep them in 20dGH hardness and KH isn't mentioned. On the stendker website, they say that they should be kept in a pH of 7 (which matches with Europa), a GH of 15dGH (slightly lower than Europa) and a KH of 8dKH. So which pH, GH and KH should I aim for? For my tap water, a 7 pH is achieveable, I can get around 15-20dGH but my KH is like 20dKH which is much higher. What do you guys think? Thanks

[LizStreithorst]

Don't go chasing parameters. The fish will adjust fine to your tap water.

[jwcarlson]

Just use your tap water or you will drive yourself mad playing games chasing parameters.

[Cjbear087]

I’m just worried that my tap is just too extreme, it’s about 8.5pH and 25dGH - also I have an ro ready to go so I don’t mind too much

[LizStreithorst]

Your parameters are fine. Save your RO for breeding. That's the only time it's necessary.

[jwcarlson]

Listen to Liz. Or do it the hard way, get really frustrated, and then do it Liz's way.

[Cjbear087]

Your parameters are fine. Save your RO for breeding. That's the only time it's necessary.

That’s the thing though, I am definitely considering breeding at some point in the very near future and I don’t really want to have to switch my parameters when I decide I am going to breed them, I would rather have them acclimated to them from the beginning, but I’m not too sure which parameters would be the best depending on the values I gave.

[Cjbear087]

Also I was doing some reading and not 100% sure if its true but apparently discus grow a bit faster if kept in optimal conditions? The discus I am getting are quite small (8-10cm) so I can use my RODI tap mix for growing out and once there a good size I can slowly return back to normal tap?

[LizStreithorst]

Water is very complex but I believe that kH is the most important parameter. I don't beleve that gH is important. To start, I'd aimof for a kH of 4 or or less.

[Cjbear087]

Water is very complex but I believe that kH is the most important parameter. I don't beleve that gH is important. To start, I'd aimof for a kH of 4 or or less.

So maybe try to aim for something like 7pH, 4dKH and anywhere between 15-20dGH?

[jwcarlson]

Also I was doing some reading and not 100% sure if its true but apparently discus grow a bit faster if kept in optimal conditions? The discus I am getting are quite small (8-10cm) so I can use my RODI tap mix for growing out and once there a good size I can slowly return back to normal tap?

You've probably got close to two years before any meaningful breeding would be happening. My stendkers grew out well in my tap water 8.3 pH, hardness through the moon (gH and kH something like 18-20 degrees each). Huge water changes every day is more important than the hardness and pH.

[Cjbear087]

You've probably got close to two years before any meaningful breeding would be happening. My stendkers grew out well in my tap water 8.3 pH, hardness through the moon (gH and kH something like 18-20 degrees each). Huge water changes every day is more important than the hardness and pH.

I plan on doing 50% changes every day for growing out. I get that you and a lot of other people have had success keeping discus in high pH high hardness water but I have the RO machine ready in the fish room, and I am not a busy person by any means. If it takes a little extra time, so be it - a little extra reassurance that they are in their native water and thriving is always nice.

[LizStreithorst]

Jake is right. You need the minerals in your water to grow small discus. Don't change to an RO mix until they're breeding age. BTW, you can dump the DI. It's not needed for freshwater.