My Ph

[beginner to fish]

hiya i have just checked my ph level on a tank that has been running for ages there is no fish in there are three live plants in it i was going to put some discus in it but the ph is at 6 how do i raise the ph so that it is between 6.5 and 7. as i was going to add discus tomorow but will they be ok in it with this ph

 

[Loony Fish]

Discus are definetly not for begginers.
i've bean in the hobby for 12 years and they can still be challenging.
how big is the tank.

 

[beginner to fish]

in have been looking after tropical fish for two years now and just really wanted to try discus now i want to get them while they are small and put a pair of them in a 60 litre planted tank and then when they get bigger i will place them in a bigger tank. if you could give me advice i would really like to try discus i think they are lovely fish.

 

[backtotropical]

My advice is that the pH is not your main concern. The size of the tank is.

I'd advise not to even consider discus until you get a bigger tank.

 

[beginner to fish]

i spoke to my lfs and they said that it would be fine if when they did start to grow bigger i moved them if i was doing regular water changes in the tank.

 

[backtotropical]

That is the downfall of many aquarists, I'm afraid. If you can't have a bigger tank now for whatever reason, can you be sure that you'll be able to have a bigger tank in a few months when the discus outgrow the current tank?

If you can't upgrade before you get the fish, that suggests problems in the future to me.

Most LFS's will tell you its ok because it means they get to sell the fish now and hopefully a big tank in the near future.

Nobody on here has any financial interest in the information they give you, and so the advice on here is generally more impartial.

BTT

 

[beginner to fish]

my lfs is recommended by many people and ask many questions and if they don't think you are suitable they won't sell them. all i really would like to know is how i raise my ph from six to 6.5-7. the only reason i have not bought a bigger tank is i am 17 tommorow and need to buy a car. i am an enthusiast and just would really like to try my luck at discus as they are gorgeous fish i will get a bigger and i know i will as i still live at home with my parents and all my spare money from my job is spent on my fish i would really appreciate it if you could help me.
thanks.

 

[Thommo]

Please realise that it is recommended to have a minimum of 5 Discus to avoid stress to each other as they do have a nip now and agian.

With that in mind I think 60L which is also planted would not leave too much room even if they were juvi.

I would go with BTT and wait until you get your bigger tank. I won't take long for them to grow up and you may end up stunting them before you realise and gett your bigger tank.

I agree that they are a beautiful looking fish but Putting 4-5 in 60L IMO is a little small.

CHEERS
Thommo

 

[beginner to fish]

i very much appreciate your positive and i will take on board your comments. is there any chance you would be able to answer my original question on my ph.
thanks.

 

[beginner to fish]

bump

 

[rabbut]

One the right care, a pair of 1" fish will have outgrown a 60l tank in about 6 weeks, at 4" long.....

Can you upgrade to a 4ft tank in 6 weeks time if you are putting the cash down on a car tomorrow? You'd need a very good job to say yes to that at 17, I know I couldn't

To raise the pH you first need to work out why it dropped. What's the KH in the tank and out the tap? pH of the tap water is... Are you injecting CO2?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[backtotropical]

I think 10 minutes is the fastest bump i've ever seen.

Good to see a fellow Scot on the boards, Beginner!

 

[Thommo]

What was your Ph normally? Is it normally at 6? If it is I would probably leave it as playing around with your PH can do more harm than good once you have your fish in there. Typically a low PH is more suitable for a Discus if you go by info on the web but generally most Discus are now tank bred so you should try to match your tank to the water that the breader has.
In general terms a low PH is a low KH (not always the case) What is your KH?
Do you have bog wood in there as it can slowly drop the PH? Are you injecting CO2 as this will drop the PH but is not a detrimental PH drop.

IMO if your PH is normally 6 leave it alone.

CHEERS
Thommo

 

[beginner to fish]

I think 10 minutes is the fastest bump i've ever seen.

Good to see a fellow Scot on the boards, Beginner!

ye but as i live in aberfeldy the closest fish store is 32 miles away in perth so its difficult to keep fish but i really enjoy it so its worth the effort. so what fish do you keep in your tanks. im making a trip to ultimate aqautics in cupar tommorow so i will find something to stock this 60l tank with i will wait and get a bigger tank to keep discus. any suggestions on what i should get?
thanks.

 

[beginner to fish]

What was your Ph normally? Is it normally at 6? If it is I would probably leave it as playing around with your PH can do more harm than good once you have your fish in there. Typically a low PH is more suitable for a Discus if you go by info on the web but generally most Discus are now tank bred so you should try to match your tank to the water that the breader has.
In general terms a low PH is a low KH (not always the case) What is your KH?
Do you have bog wood in there as it can slowly drop the PH? Are you injecting CO2 as this will drop the PH but is not a detrimental PH drop.

IMO if your PH is normally 6 leave it alone.
and
CHEERS
Thommo

i don't regularly check my ph there is no fish in the tank at the moment as i sold the fish i had in it. there is gravel in the tank a slate and three plants that look like grass vallis something or other lol i just thought that the ph should be higher will most fish be ok for that.