discus setup (Advice Wanted)

Re: discus

Be prepared to do daily WC's Would be my best advice.

 

Re: discus

Wow, lots and lots to learn! First READ A LOT!!

Here is what works for me:
* PH - 6.5 (I use API Proper PH 6.5)
* Temp - 86 (Keeps it out of Ich range)
* Tetra Blackwater Extract - I dont really use this anymore but I did originally.
* Water changes about 30% at least 1 time a week (I do have a 125 gallon tank though so more will be needed like 20% 2 times a week if you have less than a 55 with more than 1 discus in it.
* I dont recommend anything less than a 29 as Discus can grow rather tall. (best tanks are your tall tanks)
* They require feeding a varied diet - (I feed mine a dry mixture of flakes I crushed, pellets I crushed and granules mixed together, Hikari Frozen Bloodworms, Sometimes Hikari Frozen Beefheart (this should not be fed often AND should be closely monitored that they eat it all cause if they do not it will spoil your tank FAST!), and sometimes they get Live Blackworms)
* Water should be soft which is the reason for the Blackwater Extract. However Driftwood would do the same thing if you have enough in your tank.

Still much more but I cannot think of it all right now. READ about Discus, where the come from, what they are like, how to raise etc online! Take it all in though with a grain of salt as much of the information is mixed and much of it is also wrong as ALL discus keepers do it their own ways!

 

Re: discus

furst ewe shuld git a book on discussand thin ewe shuld reed it.

 

Re: discus

RO stands f or Reverse Osmosis. I don't believe LemonDiscus uses one for his Discus but most people will likely tell you that you need to use one.

 

Re: discus

What are your water parameters straight out of the tap, specifically the dissolved solids and hardness

 

Re: discus

Yeah, that will help determine if you can get by without RO water. Those units can be expensive.

 

Re: discus

Here's a reason to use it for reef aquariums but it's basically the same for freshwater.

Many reef aquarium keepers use reverse osmosis systems for their artificial mixture of seawater. Ordinary tap water can often contain excessive chlorine, chloramines, copper, nitrogen, phosphates, silicates, or many other chemicals detrimental to the sensitive organisms in a reef environment. Contaminants such as nitrogen compounds and phosphates can lead to excessive, and unwanted, algae growth. An effective combination of both reverse osmosis and deionization (RO/DI) is the most popular among reef aquarium keepers and is preferred above other water purification processes due to the low cost of ownership and minimal running costs. (Where chlorine and chloramines are found in the water carbon filterion is needed before the membrane as the common residential membrane used by reef keepers does not cope with these compounds.)

 

Re: discus

I do not use RO but that is because my water out of the tap is Soft and Neutral. It really is not necessary, but it is nice if you have the money for it.

Again, read about RO for Discus Aquariums. There is a TON of information on this subject and there is a right and a wrong way to use it. Again depending on what your tap water is like you probably do not need it.