PH and water changes question

[kilroy2112]

I'm hoping to purchase some discus for the first time very soon but after reading about how discus need a stable pH I decided to check mine. The pH in my aged tank water is very high, around 8.4 or more (no good at reading the color chart in these API test kits). My tap water is about 7.6 or maybe even less. Immediately after doing a 40% water change in the 55 gallon tank, the pH seemed to be about 7.8. Overnight it climbed up to 8.3 or so. Is this going to cause young discus to go into shock the first time I do a wc? I know people will tell me to age my water first but buying a barrel and water pump and all that is not an option for me right now. However, I do not want to throw my money away on discus if I am dooming them to die with these pH swings. Advice appreciated.
Roy

[kilroy2112]

I guess to be more concise, if there is a whole dgree of difference between my tap water and my tank (aged) water (roughly 7.5 tap and 8.5 tank) then do I HAVE to age my water before water changes or will it be OK? If I need to wait 6 months or whatever until I can set up an ageing barrel then I would rather do that then kill some discus.
Roy

[lipadj46]

It will stress them but if you buy adults and keep the water changes to 50% you will probably be OK

[kilroy2112]

Yeah... I'm not rich enough to buy adult dicus. The ones I'm looking at are about 2". Thinking about a group of 6 for a 55 gallon tank. I've read on some forums (not this one) that pH changes simply from CO2 gassing off is not a problem for fish. No idea if there's any truth to that.
Roy

[Dennis The Mennis]

I am simply a beginner myself. That said, I believe the thing you want to test is aged water outside the tank. I did mine with a glass of water. I tested when I first filled it. I let it sit on the counter for 24 hours then tested again. I believe this will give you a better idea of how your tap water is acting. I think this process will give you a better idea if the water is causing the variations, or if something in the tank might be causing the change.

[kilroy2112]

It's definitely the tap water, not the tank. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Yes, I've tested a bucket of water straight out of the tap and then let it sit and aerate overnight and the pH climbs from about 7.6 to around 8.4.
Roy

[gerrard00]

Yeah... I'm not rich enough to buy adult dicus. The ones I'm looking at are about 2". Thinking about a group of 6 for a 55 gallon tank. I've read on some forums (not this one) that pH changes simply from CO2 gassing off is not a problem for fish. No idea if there's any truth to that.
Roy

If you think you are going to save money by buying juvies, you are in for a surprise. I raised a group of 6 from 2.5" and it cost way more in food, medicine and electricity then it would have to just buy adults. No more juvies for me.

[Sean Buehrle]

Just age your water, problem solved.

[shoveltrash]

AGE YOUR WATER.
it's well worth it, and a whole point pH is a lot, can really stress fish IMHO.

and it's not hard to set up
I bought a 55g barrel, fill it with my Aqueon hose (screws directly into kitchen faucet). water stone & heater - then get a submersible pump & RV hose to pump from barrel to tank. it actually made my water changing easier!

[troweler]

AGE YOUR WATER.
it's well worth it, and a whole point pH is a lot, can really stress fish IMHO.

and it's not hard to set up
I bought a 55g barrel, fill it with my Aqueon hose (screws directly into kitchen faucet). water stone & heater - then get a submersible pump & RV hose to pump from barrel to tank. it actually made my water changing easier!

Whats a RV hose?

[Orange Crush]

Anything worth doing is worth doing right.

If you cannot afford or are unwilling to buy some of the basics for discus to care for them properly then you will be wasting your time and money to get into the hobby in the first place. That being said I know how tight money is for many people these days but, what is going to happen when they get sick or there are other problems like equipment that needs to be replaced?Are you willing and able to buy that stuff? Like Gerrard00 said it will cost a lot more to grow out 2" discus.

Definately age your water or you might have enough of a pH flux to stess the discus into illness and/or death.

[shoveltrash]

Whats a RV hose?

here in the states RV is 'recreational vehicle' - RV hose is a potable water hose used to provide water for drinking/showers/etc for an RV .
cleaner/safer to use than a garden hose.