High Ph

SensesFail

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I have a Ph of around 7.4 I have the ultimate aim of keeping discus. What's the best way of lowering the Ph to the required 6.5 that they prefer? Also I have a 190L tank 100cm wide by 55cm high, is this ok for a group of discus. Maybe 4 or 5?

Many thanks
 
TBH your ph isnt that high, so long as you go for tank bred discus you should be fine, messing about with trying to lower (or higher) ph is a tricky business and often leads to large swings in ph which is highly unrecommended. A stable ph is always far better for fish, particularly sensitive species, even if its not in the recommended range, than a ph which is constantly changing.

Many Discus keepers, dont have the exact ph and find no problems in keeping them.
 
TBH your ph isnt that high, so long as you go for tank bred discus you should be fine, messing about with trying to lower (or higher) ph is a tricky business and often leads to large swings in ph which is highly unrecommended. A stable ph is always far better for fish, particularly sensitive species, even if its not in the recommended range, than a ph which is constantly changing.

Many Discus keepers, dont have the exact ph and find no problems in keeping them.

AGreed.

Stability in water quality is far more important to discus than simple pH value. Other water qualities like nitrate levels and hardness are more important (nitrates especially). I would check your local water source for nitrate levels. If they are over something like 10-15 ppm straight from the tap, then you simply will not succeed in keeping discus in there long term ..... unless the tank is VERY heavily planted, as the plants will lower nitrate levels.
It would probably save you a lot of effort by finding out if other people manage to keep discus in your local water.

As for the tank size, then that would be OK for a group of 4-5, but no more.

I hope you are planning on a frequent water change schedule !
 
TBH your ph isnt that high, so long as you go for tank bred discus you should be fine, messing about with trying to lower (or higher) ph is a tricky business and often leads to large swings in ph which is highly unrecommended. A stable ph is always far better for fish, particularly sensitive species, even if its not in the recommended range, than a ph which is constantly changing.

Many Discus keepers, dont have the exact ph and find no problems in keeping them.

AGreed.

Stability in water quality is far more important to discus than simple pH value. Other water qualities like nitrate levels and hardness are more important (nitrates especially). I would check your local water source for nitrate levels. If they are over something like 10-15 ppm straight from the tap, then you simply will not succeed in keeping discus in there long term ..... unless the tank is VERY heavily planted, as the plants will lower nitrate levels.
It would probably save you a lot of effort by finding out if other people manage to keep discus in your local water.

As for the tank size, then that would be OK for a group of 4-5, but no more.

I hope you are planning on a frequent water change schedule !


I shall test my tap water thisafternoon see what the nitrate levels are and Ph :) i shall post my finidings for you guys too see. Ill do it now infact. As for water changing schedual iv resigned myself to doing 3 water changes a week of around 50L each time. Is this ok?

Reason i say 50 Litres is because i have seen a 50L bin which i intend to fill up, heat to the tank temperature then add to the tank once its ready. Possibly have 2 of these bins one to drain the tank into and one with th new water ready to add to the tank? Seem a good idea?

 
Did you test the water straight out of the tap? Often there is more co2 in tap water so if you leave a sample for 24 hours, the next day the pH will be more.

I don't keep discus but I don't think you need to temp match the water for waterchanges, unless they're exceptionally big waterchanges. One of the discus keepers will confirm that...

You might want to consider asking your local water authority as nitrate test kits aren't very accurate.
 
The results are in.

Ph of the tap water 7.4
Nitrate: 0

this ok?

SOunds good. As PDSimon said, the pH will change a bit as the CO2 in it diffuses off over 24 hours, but in your case I'm sure that it will leave you with a very acceptable pH.

As for temp-matching water changes, I know that many discus keepers do heat and "bubble" their WC water for 24hrs before using. This stabilses the pH and obviouslt can match temperature too. However, I have only kept discus for a very short time (and not with much success to be honest - my tap water was atrocious for them !), and cannot comment on it with any authority. I do remember reading a very experienced discus keeper stating that if you can keep the temp drop during a WC at less than 2 degrees C then it will be fine. So temp matching may be needed or may not, all depending on the size of the WC, and temp of the tap water.

As for 50L changes. I'd say that sounded reasonable, but do it every other day (so 3.5 x per week).
 
Well when I had a Discus set up I lowered the PH gradually by doing my weekly 25% water change with half RO water half tap water and it gradually went down. I suppose I was lucky really I never lost a Discus and was keeping them after only keeping fish a year. Only found out once I bought one that they needed lower PH lol so that worked for me anyway. :)
 
Well when I had a Discus set up I lowered the PH gradually by doing my weekly 25% water change with half RO water half tap water and it gradually went down. I suppose I was lucky really I never lost a Discus and was keeping them after only keeping fish a year. Only found out once I bought one that they needed lower PH lol so that worked for me anyway. :)

Tested the tap water having left it for some time sitting in the glass. I'm now getting:

Ph of 7.0
Nitrate of 5.
 
Well when I had a Discus set up I lowered the PH gradually by doing my weekly 25% water change with half RO water half tap water and it gradually went down. I suppose I was lucky really I never lost a Discus and was keeping them after only keeping fish a year. Only found out once I bought one that they needed lower PH lol so that worked for me anyway. :)

Tested the tap water having left it for some time sitting in the glass. I'm now getting:

Ph of 7.0
Nitrate of 5.

SOunds really good for discus to me.
 

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