New Boy
Fish Crazy
I've just brough a 2 metre tank (rena aqualife - just under 600 litres) and would like to keep discus...but have a few questions...
Firstly I'm not sure whether I will need to get an RO unit. I've read that in some areas you don't actually need an RO unit as you can soften the water by filtering though peat. Does anyone have any experience of the water in north london or hertfordshire? I know that it's at least moderately hard and about 7.4 ph but not sure if peat will soften/acidifyit enough..
Secondly, in terms of stocking. I was thinking 8 discus, 8 apisto cacatuoides (think that's the right spelling), 3 bristlenose pleco and about 30 tetra.
Any problems/potential issues with the plan below...
Decoration - bogwood, plants, and some pieces of slate
Substrate - sand in the back for the plants but very thin layer of small gravel in the front (I'm going to silicone a 3/4 inch deep divider so thatI can get the benefit of not much substrate at the front for cleaning but deep enough to grow plants at the back). Is there anything that will soften/acidify the water - could I use peat?
Equipment - 2 external filters with flow directed against glass to reduce turbulence, co2 unit for plants and help reduce ph, 2 heaters at opposite ends to maintain 85 fahrenheit
Firstly I'm not sure whether I will need to get an RO unit. I've read that in some areas you don't actually need an RO unit as you can soften the water by filtering though peat. Does anyone have any experience of the water in north london or hertfordshire? I know that it's at least moderately hard and about 7.4 ph but not sure if peat will soften/acidifyit enough..
Secondly, in terms of stocking. I was thinking 8 discus, 8 apisto cacatuoides (think that's the right spelling), 3 bristlenose pleco and about 30 tetra.
Any problems/potential issues with the plan below...
Decoration - bogwood, plants, and some pieces of slate
Substrate - sand in the back for the plants but very thin layer of small gravel in the front (I'm going to silicone a 3/4 inch deep divider so thatI can get the benefit of not much substrate at the front for cleaning but deep enough to grow plants at the back). Is there anything that will soften/acidify the water - could I use peat?
Equipment - 2 external filters with flow directed against glass to reduce turbulence, co2 unit for plants and help reduce ph, 2 heaters at opposite ends to maintain 85 fahrenheit