Hi -

I am currently cycling a 55 gallon tank that I would like to keep four Discus in. One question I have is about pH - my local tap water's pH is about 8.0! I know it's generally best not to meddle with pH- but Discus generally need a lower pH from my understanding (this is my first time with them). Any thoughts? What do you recommend?

Rebecca

I would recommend lots of ro water to lower your ph. add some test ph, add more until you get the ph that you want. Write it down as you add so you would know how to mix it with tap for water changes.

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It's probable that before your water got to your tap it was in contact with limestone (calcium carbonate). This increases both ph and hardnss. You need to replace most of the water in your tank with RO or distilled ($.70 per gallon) water. Remember that sudden changes in ph or hardness are just as dangerous to sensitive fish, like Discus, as sudden temperature changes so go slow if there are any fish present when you add new water.

You should get your discus use to your water. It is completely possible to keep healthy discus in ph as high as yours. If you get them from a local source, chances are they are bread in water that is the same perimeters as your tap. Check with the source of your discus, you may be in luck. I have a ph of about 7.6 and the breeder that i am getting mine from is about 10 miles form my house and keeps his discus in the same water.

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do not pretend conclusions are certain that are not demonstrated or demonstrable.

Tell you what:

Try filtration through peat. Peat pellets (I just bought two boxes).

Before you get there, and to do this safely, you will need GH and KH liquid test. These test work by tritation method: you add one drop at a time, shake and keep adding and shaking until the color changes. If you measure with 10ml of water you can have reasonably accurate measurements of 0.5 degress of hardness.

Only if you have very hard water you won't be able to pull this off.

I've been tampering with pH, to bring it down for a few months already. I happen to have very cheap (5gal for USD1.25) R/O processed drinking water available locally (and the guys at the store deliver the 5gal bottles orders in five minutes).

This takes time and is not risk free but is doable if you have the love for this.

I recently ordered 20 Seachem's pH Alert -works great, real good simple technology behind this. These units don't replace pH readings but come handy if something goes wrong, they last for 6 months in freshwater and 3 in saltwater.

Another option, if your water is moderately high is to use Indian Almond Tree leaves. For pH down in a 145gal tank I use 18 mid-to-large sized leaves (for free in my street all year around), just replace it every two to three weeks.

Whether you go with peat or Indian Almond Tree Leaves, you can use activated charcoal( but I don't recommend this for a discus tank) if you don't want the tea-color water they will produce.

A third option, but that depends also of your tap water hardness level, is to use CO2 injection to drop pH. For this to happen you will need to be careful not to over-saturate the tank with CO2 but also to keep a relatively constant input of reasonable high levels of CO2. Going pressurized (a dream for me yet) is the safest and fastest way to go if you opt for fully automated systems (quite expensive); going the DIY way could work (my method) if you are up to the task (requires maintenance).

At the end if your water is too hard, mixing with R/O might be the only effective choice.

Hope this info helps you.

Also if you need to know more about Discus water needs read this>

Read enough about keeping discus before buy them. They need more care than any other fish. Don't try to put any more fish in that 55 gallon tank.

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I have 3 Main discus aquariums and 4 breeding tanks. Also got two emergency tanks and Emergency backup systems for all of them.

The softened water will adjust the pH to the desired level easily. The recommended pH for fish should be between 6.5-7.5 for display purposes, and between 5.5-6.5 for breeding purposes. Adding peat is a great way to lower the pH gradually.

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I have 3 Main discus aquariums and 4 breeding tanks. Also got two emergency tanks and Emergency backup systems for all of them.

Dear friend,
You will always have to prepare your water before using it,otherwise your water changes will fluctuate your ph value each time you do them.
My discus fish are kept at a ph of 7 as they are hybrids but a ph8 would be too much for them.
You can soften your water by using peat which is the most natural way to do it.
Personally I would choose a different species of fish.However if your heart is set on discus fish you will have to soften the water in a plastic container before each change.