Need water answers

[Shawnts106]

Ok, I need to know the following for discus keeping:

pH ?
kh ?
gh ?
temp ?


what should these be?
My pH for my discus is about 6.5, and temp stays at 82*F, so what should my kH and gH be?

[DR.V]

pH 6-6.5
temp 29-30 Celcius
kH and gH is not so important unless you're breeding them.
kH is about 3-4

[Shawnts106]

so what about gh? what are they, is kH and gH the same?

[DR.V]

kH is Carbonate Hardness which measures the level of mineral content in your water. gH measures the general hardness of the water.
General hardness (gH) is different with carbonate hardness (kH) ... but basically measures the same thing.

For discus tank I think you want :
pH = 6. to 6.5
gH = 70-100ppm
kH = 3-4 degrees
temp = 29-30c

Are you breeding them ??
_________________

[jwight]

GH and KH are not the same there is however a link between the two results. if one is high usually the other is high but not always.

[Shawnts106]

Oh ok, kH and gH are kinda like Alk and DKH? I get it.. ok now we are rolling with dough!

iight!... Well, they are a bit young to breed, only a few months old... but, yes I do plan on trying to breed them... What I am trying to do now is just mimic their natural habitat as much as I can... thats why I am keeping acidic water and such...

as for the plants.. well, they are my decision! haha!

[jwight]

The discus you will get has a natural environment of a barebottom tank with no substrate so its not their natural envrionment. The amazon where discus lives in the wild is brown with visibility low with driftwood and few if any plants so it is not desirable to mimic their environment. There water is soft with a pH getting as low as 4.5. Its warm around 28*C.

[Shawnts106]

Right, I know these fish are NOT from the wild.. But they are STILL a species that has to have a natural environment... If we breed wolves in captivity that doesnt meen that the new baby wolf doesnt have to eat meat, or can survive in temperatures close to the sun, or freezing 24/7... we still have to feed it protein... and it still has to be in a temperate climate.. and it is better for it to have a nice outdoor spot for it to exercise and breathe in, because keeping a wolf indoors isnt a good idea, it could go crazy, and it could have serious health issues because it is not getting fresh air.. the same is true with fish or DISCUS for that matter, just because one is raised in captivity and has NO idea what the WILD is like.. doesnt meen it can be kept in NITRATE, AMMONIA, and NITRITE infested water with a pH of 9.0... and feed it lettuce and baby carrots... this is NOT NATURAL and the species will NOT survive and flourish and be physically happy at all... Beefheart isnt natural but we feed it because it is GOOD for them, it has proteins that help it grow... we feed wolfs a protein inriched dog chow .. its still good for them!

you see what im getting at???

OK!!!... now,

BTW: I checked my Gh and Kh today.. the Gh didnt register.. bad kit possibly.. and the Kh was 7*DKH... so is this ok?...

I think the gH was 0 to 1.. but not sure... not 100% sure.... I think the test kit was bad!

um... so my pH is fine, the temp is fine... so... .. and my KH is at 7*.. so is there anything else that I need to worry about "chemistry-wise"

[Shawnts106]

jwight
If im not mistaken.. Discus are found in a Variety of different habitats some blackwater, some clearwater, some streams some rivers, some acidic some neutral...

so they are not all found in blackwater... also, it depends on what kind of discus from the heckels and blues and reds and browns... they are all from different parts...

My Neon Purple is probably a decendent from the Blues, and my PB is probabaly a decendent of a heckel or red?...

[weird]

I think creating a biotope is kewl Shawn, go for it mate.

Do a search for biotope, perhaps someone can do a write up on it.

[kalebjarrod]

you will find that the most populated biotype is that of a driftwood tannined water

murkey water

not the most astheticlly pleasing look

discus do like larger leafed swords and anubis as they can lay eggs on them, reed beds of val are nice, and lots of driftwood

thats a good compramise

[jwight]

I was only saying that it is not desirable to try and recreate their environment, aesthetically that is. I was not saying to feed them differently (however the foods they eat in wild are not suitable for use in Aquarium, so commerial foods are better, discus dinner, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, blood worm, pellets e.t.c.). Acidic water between 6.5 and 7.0 however people on this forum have had no troubles with alkaline water. Discus are raised in harder water than what they are breed in so tap water is normally suited to raise them in. Warm water 28 to 30 even warmer in times of medicating. I keep my discus with kH of 3 and GH of 6.[/code]

[Shawnts106]

I think the blackwater tank is a very interesting and at times a very beautiful setup, if dont properly... BUT however, I am not wanting to go for that look in my tank.. just the clearwater river/stream semi shoreline look... so far I have acheived it IMO... I LOVE SWORDS... but a tank full of them, just doesnt seem right IMO... a few swords here and there and some tall branching plants like the Apong and Ludwiga and the the Tiger Lotus are neat... I am puzzeled as to what plants I want growing on the substrate....... dont want anything too tall.. something small leaved and short that grows quick and is very hardy... that will thrive in 4.48wpg... with a rich substrate and CO2 injection... ... WELL FOR THAT MATTER WHAT WOULDNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

I am thinking... some Glostigma?.. so something small like it.. what do you guys recommend??? I know you dont recommend this in discus tanks, but I am going and do so far have several cory cats... so they will help, also I am not planning on overfeeding.. I handfeed my discus and spot feed, that way it minimizes the whole POLLUTION thingy! lol

so what do you guys think.. Ive done some more rearranging.. so Ill post some more pics next week when my other plants come in!!! :)

thanks!

[jwight]

I find that tiger lotus looks great in a tank with discus. They also like the shade it provides.

[weird]

Hi Shawn

The plants shown in this page may help,

http://aquariumhobbyist.com/discus/mytank/tank1/

They are not amazon plants though but honestly I am sure the discus won't mind the origin.

Bolbitis seems to be a popular choice in Discus tanks.

[Shawnts106]

Yah, I LOVE the Windelov Ferns and the Bolbitis in general!

VERY NICE SITE.. thanks!!!... OH, my trates are at 10ppm... I have all kinds of plants.. heres a list:

3 different species of APONGETON
2 LG Tiger Lotus
3 Anubis Coffeefolia
2 amazon swords
1 ruben sword
1bunch of Rotala wallichii
1bunch of Ludwiga
1 med/lg Cript wendtii (red)
java fern LG and XSM
Java moss .. med
2 unidentified small sword type plants.. like micro swords or something.. not sure!!

so are these plants going to grow fast enough to eliminate the trates?.. combined with my water changes?

I am getting those bulbs next week
I will also be getting some... more Wallichii
and a few other Bunched plants that are quick growers I think!

are these going to help any???
MY plants now are doing marvelous... growing like weeds, came home today and there are already 2 new leaves on the ruben swords... new leaf on the new Apon U., new growth on the ludwiga... and the anubis have several new stemy things! also my already exsisting plants are taking off! CO2 is the KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love it, cant do without it!
Im using Flourite ORIGINAL for the substrate combined with a bit of pool filter sand and ecocomplete.. plus some SEACHEM flourish Tabs.. planted at the bases of several plants... I bought a pack of 10.. have 4 left... I LOVE THEM.. very neat! very Usefull IMO.....here is the ingredients

Nitrogen : .28%
Available phosphate (p2o5) .16%
Calcium 14.9%
Magnesium .06%
Sulfur 12.2%
Boron .029%
Chlorine .55%
Cobalt .001%
Copper .001%
Iron 2.2%
Manganese .23%
Sodium .14%
Zinc .0024%

Some being water soluble: N, Mg, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, combined sulfur

SOOO what do you guys think???????