Lowering Ph

[Snick]

I plan to start somewhere in the near future, a 167 gallon planted neon and discus tank. I researched and apparently discus need low PH, in the 6-6.6 area. How can I lower my PH without using chemicals or peat? (the latter will discolor my water) Can I cut bogwood and just place it in my filter as media?

 

[erk628]

I plan to start somewhere in the near future, a 167 gallon planted neon and discus tank. I researched and apparently discus need low PH, in the 6-6.6 area. How can I lower my PH without using chemicals or peat? (the latter will discolor my water) Can I cut bogwood and just place it in my filter as media?

Not sure if you can add bogwood as media to your filter but I have heard that you can add peat moss to your filter as media. Also Discus get pretty big won't the neons get ate?

 

[discus dreamer]

I am just investigating getting discus and from what I have read/heard it would be best to find out from where you intend to get your discus what Ph they are used to. It could be that you lower it when you don't need to, unless you want to go in for breeding. All the books say low Ph but if you are maintaining that with chemicals it might be better to get discus used to it a bit higher where you are more likely to be able to keep it stable. Also i think adding CO2 helps here but the chemistry is very complex.
good luck, I am still in the process of looking for another tank to house my non discus compatible fish but it is giving me some time to read up. This site is useful http/article.dphnet.com/index.shtml
DD

also I read that if you get reasonable sized cardinals (neons won't like the high temperature necessay for discus) and your discus grow up with them they don't eat them, but perhaps someone out there has had a disaster with this classic mix of fish?

 

[my fat fish]

hi i know of discus that are kept in ph lvls ov 7.5 with a wonderful colour and they seem fine with discus always bare in mind they can adapt for the ph thats just what ther naturally used to but will and can adapt it is best to lowere ur ph if u can and yes peat in ya filter will help and a nice lump of bogwood in ya tank will do a good job
as for neons and discus they will be fine as discus are peacful and slow so thay couldent catch a neon even if they wanted bare in mind that if u want a discus u will need touse RO water for best results you an buy a ro unit from 1 of our sponsers cheak ther page out in the sponsers section or u can buy the water from ur LFS normally tho it can get expencive and alot cheaper to buy the unit itself

 

[Snick]

Thanks for your replies... I will try to get the cardinals as they are in short supply. Is Reverse Osmosis water REALLY needed? I personally use water from an underground spring, which is almost perfectly at 7 PH and is "softened", which means the hardness of the water is reduced and the minerals taken out, further adapting the water for amazonic fish (discus)... so do I really need RO?