First time poster

[Caleb]

Hello

I've been keeping fish for four years now, mostly community and african cichlid tanks
http://www.users.on.net/~druss/images/tank/4foot/index.htm
http://www.users.on.net/~druss/images/tank/6foot/index.htm

However I've always wanted to keep and breed discus. I've had my first discus for over 12 months now and currently have three.

http://www.users.on.net/~druss/images/tank/reef/index.htm

THis forum seems like a nice place, I think I'll hang around :) Hopefully while I'm here I can get some advice on how to deal with my water and go from keeping discus to breeding them.

[flukes]

Just reading your site mate, wondering whats your water like?? Seemd that it is a big problem.!

[Caleb]

pH is at least 8.2 (that's as high as my test kit goes) and KH 71.6ppm.

I was lucky for awhile, adding some acid to the water change water used to reduce it to 6.8, now it's just falling straight through to 6. That's too low even for discus isn't it? Certainly burnt off alot of the plants I had.

[Proteus]

Hey there Caleb, welcome to DF.com

a few golden rules, dont go messing with your water too much, I would simply add a nice piece of driftwood or even some peatmoss to nturally conteract the pH levels...

[Caleb]

I wasn't too keen on the chemicals either, but I didn't think peat could overcome such high pH

[flukes]

My ph in my planted tank sits at 6 sometimes a bit lower, plants seem too do ok although they are the hardier of plants.

[luvfishies]

With a KH like yours, Peat is an excellent idea!

Just for giggles, test the pH and KH in a bucket after it's "sat out" for 24 hours. that's your "true" readings.

[flukes]

Yeah my tap water is about 7.0 then after aging its at about 6.6-8 and then once in the tank it drops too anout 6.

[Caleb]

Thanks for the advice. I'll start a new thread in the appropriate forum and take it from there.

[tennhound]

Caleb welcome to DF

MARIE